Figure 1
CD4+CD45RBhigh T cells lacking surface expression of α4 integrins induce significantly less colitis than their wild-type (WT) counterparts following their transfer into recombination activating gene-1-deficient (RAG-1−/−) mice. (a) Specific deletion of α4 in T cells in α4−/− (α4f/fxCD4Cre+) but not α4+/+ (α4f/fxCD4Cre−). Representative histograms are shown. Isotype control antibody staining is indicated by tinted gray plots. (b) Blinded histopathological distal colon scores and (c) representative hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained images that were taken at × 100 magnification. (d) Absolute numbers of CD4+ T cells. Data are presented as mean values±s.e.m. for 12–14 mice analyzed per group across at least three independent experiments. (e) Plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines. Scatter plots with mean values per group (black lines) are shown. Samples from α4+/+→RAG-1−/− and WT→RAG-1−/− mice were combined as “α4+/+”. Significant differences are indicated as*P<0.05 and ***P<0.001.
