Fig. 5: Annexin A1⁺ neutrophils determine the Th17–Treg cell balance and immunoregulatory effect of IFN-α2a in vivo.

a The experimental scheme of the creation of Anxa1^ΔLy6g mice. b Upper panel: PCR genotyping of Anxa1^fl/fl and Anxa1^ΔLy6g mice; lower panel: the protein level of Annexin A1 in the neutrophils from Anxa1^fl/fl and Anxa1^ΔLy6g mice. c Frequencies of neutrophils, Th1/Th17 cells and Tregs in Anxa1^fl/fl mice with EAU and Anxa1^ΔLy6g mice with EAU, respectively. n = 5 per group. d The experimental scheme of adoptive transfer experiment. e Frequencies of Th1/Th17 cells and Tregs, as well as the frequency of Annexin A1⁺ neutrophils in Anxa1^ΔLy6g EAU mice after adoptive transfer of neutrophils from normal WT mice and Anxa1^ΔLy6g EAU mice, respectively. n = 5 per group. f The experimental scheme of IFN-α2a treatment on Anxa1^fl/fl EAU, and Anxa1^ΔLy6g EAU mice. g Effects of IFN-α2a on the T cells and Annexin A1⁺ neutrophils in Anxa1^fl/fl EAU mice, and Anxa1^ΔLy6g EAU mice. n = 5 per group. Data are shown as means ± SEM. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001. ^#P < 0.05; ^##P < 0.01; ^###P < 0.001; P-values were calculated by the Mann-Whitney U test. In all instances, n refers to the number of each group.