Fig. 5: Characterization of nude mice following adult thymus transplantation.

Schematic overview of the experimental procedure (a). Gating strategy to identify CD25+/CD3+, CD4+/CD3+ and CD8+/CD3+ cell subpopulations in Tnu^C57Bl and Tnu^MDX mice. All subpopulations are detected within CD45+CD3+ gate (b). FACS analysis of CD3-expressing blood-derived subpopulation isolated from Tnu^C57Bl and Tnu^MDX mice at different days following the thymus transplantation. Dashed lines referred to averaged values of nu^PBS mice used as controls. The number of the CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were significantly higher in Tnu^MDX muscles related to Tnu^C57Bl and nu^PBS mice (c). RT-qPCR analysis revealed significant over-expression of Th17 key gene, RORγt (d) and the upregulation of Th1 key gene T-bet (e) in muscles of Tnu^MDX mice. f FACS analysis of muscles isolated from Tnu^C57Bl, nu^PBS mice and Tnu^MDX mice for quantification of mature infiltrating T cells. The number of the CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ infiltrating T cells were significantly higher in Tnu^MDX muscles related to Tnu^C57Bl and nu^PBS mice. The comparisons among the averages of the groups were evaluated using Linear regression analysis (b) and one-way ANOVA (d–f). c *p = 0.0085 (CD3+CD25+ T cells: Tnu^C57Bl vs Tnu^MDX mice at day 116 pt); CD3+CD25+ T cells in Tnu^MDX mice: ****p < 0.0001, day 88 vs day 116 pt; ***p = 0.0077 day 88 vs day 102 pt; *p = 0.0383 day 102 vs day 116 pt; CD3+CD4+ T cells in Tnu^MDX mice: *p = 0.0482, day 88 vs day 116 pt; CD3+CD8+ T cells in Tnu^MDX: ****p < 0.0001, day 88 vs day 116 pt; *p = 0.0392, day 88 vs day 102 pt; ***p = 0.0010, day 102 vs day 116 pt; CD3+CD25+ T cells in Tnu^MDX mice over time: *p = 0.026. d **p = 0.0050 (Tnu^MDX vs Tnu^C57Bl); **p = 0.0097 (Tnu^MDX vs nu^PBS). f CD3+ T cells: ***p = 0.0011 (Tnu^MDX vs Tnu^C57Bl) and *p = 0.0203 (Tnu^MDX vs nu^PBS); CD4+ T cells: ***p < 0.0001 (Tnu^MDX vs Tnu^C57Bl) and *p = 0.0105 (Tnu^MDX vs nu^PBS); CD8+ T cells: *p = 0.013 (Tnu^MDX vs Tnu^C57Bl) and **p = 0.0016 (Tnu^MDX vs nu^PBS). Data are presented as mean ± SD of three independent experiments with n = 4 mice Tnu^C57Bl and n = 5 mice Tnu^MDX (c); n = 8 mice Tnu^C57Bl, n = 9 mice Tnu^MDX and n = 7 mice nu^PBS (d); n = 5 mice Tnu^C57Bl, n = 6 mice Tnu^MDX and n = 5 mice nu^PBS (e); n = 6 mice/group for % of CD3+ and CD4+, n = 7 mice /group for % of CD8+ (f). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.