We also observed that a small proportion of CD8+ DC were infected with L. donovani amastigotes at 5 hours p.i., and that infection of these cells was not reduced by anti-VCAM-1 mAb (0.50±0.10% versus 0.37±0.11% for mice receiving rat IgG or anti-VCAM-1 mAb, respectively, determined from cytospins). This evidence concerns the gene VCAM1 and infection.