Figure 4: Lkb1 prevents STAT4 activation to maintain Treg cell stability.
(a) Intracellular phosphorylated STAT4 in Foxp3Cre and Foxp3CreLkb1f/f Treg cells treated with or without IL-12 (n=3). (b) Foxp3 expression in Foxp3Cre and Foxp3CreLkb1f/f Treg cells co-cultured with DCs without any cytokines (n=7). (c) Foxp3 expression in Foxp3Cre and Foxp3CreLkb1f/f Treg cells co-cultured with DCs supplemented with indicated cytokines (n=3). (d) Foxp3 expression in divided and nondivided Foxp3Cre and Foxp3CreLkb1f/f Treg cells co-cultured with DCs for 4 days supplemented with IL-2 and IL-12. (e) Foxp3 expression in ERT2CreRosa26YFP and ERT2CreLkb1f/fRosa26YFP Treg cells co-cultured with DCs supplemented with indicated cytokines and 4-hydroxytamoxifen. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical analyses in a,c, and unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test was used for statistical analyses in b (*P<0.05, **P<0.01); error bars represent s.d.; all data are representative of at least two independent experiments.
