Fig. 6: Prophylactic applications of cromolyn sodium and anti-IL-17A attenuated CIA.

a The schematic diagram of study design: All mice received initial immunization on day 0 and booster immunization on day 21. After being randomly divided into 4 groups, mice were treated through intraperitoneal injection with the vehicle, cromolyn (25 mg/kg), IL-17A antibody (150 µg each time), or the combination of the cromolyn and IL-17A antibody. Cromolyn and anti-IL-17A treatment was started from day 0 and day 21, respectively, and were both given every other day. b Arthritis scores were measured every day after booster immunization (n = 5 mice for each group, P = 0.0049 Vehicle vs Cromolyn, P = 0.0016 Vehicle vs Cromolyn+Anti-IL-17A, P = 0.0437 Anti-IL-17A vs Cromolyn+Anti-IL-17A). c Weight loss of each group showed as a percentage change observed once a week (n = 5 mice for each group, P = 0.0013 Vehicle vs Anti-IL-17A, P = 0.0165 Vehicle vs Cromolyn+Anti-IL-17A, P = 0.0262 Cromolyn vs Anti-IL-17A). d Representative images of H&E and Safranin O-fast green staining of knee joints. Scale bar: 200 μm. e Statistical analysis of synovitis and bone erosion (n = 5 mice for each group, **P = 0.0069, *P = 0.0119). f Serum levels of anti-CII IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a were quantified by ELISA (n = 5 mice for each group, P = 0.0327 for IgG Vehicle vs Anti-IL-17A, P = 0.0166 for IgG Vehicle vs Cromolyn+Anti-IL-17A, P = 0.0009 for IgG2a). g Serum levels of IL-6 and IL-17A were determined by ELISA (n = 5 mice for each group, P = 0.0067 for IL-6, *P = 0.0234 and ***P = 0.0009 for IL-17A). h Representative flow plots of CFSE-labeled splenocytes gated on CD3⁺CD4⁺ cells after stimulated with CII for 4 days. i Statistical analysis of proliferation rate after stimulation (n = 5 mice for each group, P = 0.0243). j Inflammatory cytokine release from splenocytes after being stimulated with CII (n = 5 mice for each group, P = 0.0034 for IFN-γ, *P = 0.0166 and **P = 0.0014 for IL-17A). Data are representative of two independent experiments (b-j). Data are presented as the mean ± SEM and analyzed using two-way ANOVA (b, c), Kruskal-Wallis test (e-g, and j), and one way ANOVA (i). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ***P < 0.001. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.