Figure 1: Regulatory T cells acquire RORγt expression on transfer into IL-15-deficient immune-deficient hosts.
From: IL-15-dependent balance between Foxp3 and RORγt expression impacts inflammatory bowel disease
(a) About 2 × 105CD4+Foxp3+ T lymphocytes (Treg) purified from Foxp3-mRFP mice were transferred into RAG2ko or IL-15koRAG2ko mice, which were killed 28 days later: Foxp3 expression by CD4+ T cells before (day 0, left panel) and after transfer in the colon, the inguinal lymph nodes (ILN) and the spleen of injected IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko mice (right panel). (b) Percentage among live CD4+ T cells (upper panel) and total number (lower panel) of CD4+Foxp3+ T cells in the colon, the ILN and the spleen of IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko recipients after Treg transfer. (c) Frequency among all live cells (upper panel) and number (lower panel) of total CD4+ T cells in the colon, the ILN and the spleen of IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko hosts. (d) Expression of Foxp3 and RORγt by CD4+ T cells recovered from the colon, the ILN and the spleen of IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko hosts. (e) Percentage among live CD4+ T cells (upper panel) and number (lower panel) of Foxp3+RORγt+CD4+ T cells isolated from the colon, the ILN and the spleen of IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko hosts. (f) Percentage among live CD4+ T cells (upper panel) and number (lower panel) of Foxp3-RORγt+CD4+ T cells in IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko hosts. (b–f) Data compiled from two separate experiments with at least three mice per group. Black circles represent IL-15koRAG2ko hosts, open circles RAG2ko hosts. Each symbol represents an individual mouse. All graphs indicate mean values; error bars denote s.e.m.; *P<0.05; **0.01<P<0.05; ***P<0.001(Student’s t-test values).
