Figure 6: Adoptively transferred CD4+ T cells secrete IFN-γ and IL-17 and contribute to colon inflammation.
From: IL-15-dependent balance between Foxp3 and RORγt expression impacts inflammatory bowel disease
About 2 × 105 CD4+ T lymphocytes purified from B6 mice were transferred into RAG2ko or IL-15koRAG2ko mice, which were killed 4 (a–e) or 6 (f) weeks later. (a) Frequencies among all live cells (upper panel) and absolute numbers (lower panel) of CD4+ T cells in the colon, the ILN and the spleen of IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko hosts. (b) Expression of IFN-γ and IL-17 by CD4+ T cells isolated from adoptively transferred IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko mice. (c) Median fluorescence intensity (MFI, upper panel) and frequencies among live CD4+ T cells (lower panel) of IFN-γ- and IL-17-expressing cells in the colon of IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko recipients. (d) MFI values (upper panel) and frequencies among live CD4+ T cells (lower panel) of IFN-γ- and IL-17-expressing cells in the ILN of IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko mice. (e) Concentration of cytokines (pg ml−1) secreted in the culture of lamina propria cells isolated from the colon of untreated RAG2ko mice (light grey bars), untreated IL-15koRAG2ko (dark grey bars), RAG2ko mice after CD4+ T-cell transfer (white bars) and IL-15koRAG2ko mice after CD4+ T-cell transfer (black bars). (f) Frequencies among live CD4+ T cells of RORgt+IL-17+ cells in the colon of IL-15koRAG2ko and RAG2ko mice 6 weeks post transfer. (a–f) Data compiled from two separate experiments with a minimum of three mice per group; each dot represents an individual mouse. All graphs indicate means; error bars denote s.e.m.; Student’s t-test values: *P<0.05; **0.01<P<0.05.
