Importantly, Cd3e−/− SD rats also exhibited identical phenotype of liver granuloma and hepatic fibrosis as observed in the Lck−/− SD rats when the infected liver sections were analyzed by H&E staining and Masson’s trichrome staining, as well as by qPCR analyses of fibrosis related marker genes (S7D–S7G Fig). This evidence concerns the gene CD3E and Hepatic fibrosis.