Fig. 8: Disruption of the ARE motif in the 5’UTR of Ptpn22 modulates its expression in male T cells. male T cell activity and T cell functional populations.

a RT-PCR quantification of Ptpn22 transcript levels in DN (left) and CD8SP (right) thymocytes from 8-week-old NOD males that were either sham-operated (filled circles) or castrated (open circles) as 4-week-olds. Mean ± sem. Significance was calculated using an unpaired t-test. Symbols - individual mice. n = 4/group. b RT-PCR quantification of Ptpn22 in DN (left) and CD8SP (right) thymocytes from 8 to 9-week-old NOD AR wild-type (filles circles) and knock-out (open circles) males. Delta CT inversely correlates with the strength of expression. Symbols – individual mice. Combined data from two experiments. Number of mice: AR wild-type n = 12/group, AR KO n = 7/group. Mean ± sem. Significance was calculated using an unpaired t-test. The significance of interaction between sex and Ptpn22 mutation was calculated using 2-way ANOVA and the difference in mean values was tested by non-parametric 1-way ANOVA. c Left, a representative western blot image (top) of Ptpn22 protein levels in CD8⁺ T cells from peripheral lymph nodes of 10-week-old Ptpn22^AREwt and Ptpn22^AREmut males, females, and CD8⁺ T cells from B6.NZM.Ptpn22KO males were used as a negative control. β-actin was measured as a loading control. Right, a summary of western blot quantification of Ptpn22 protein levels relative to β-actin. Combined data from 4 experiments. Symbols – individual mice. Number of mice: Ptpn22^AREwt male n = 6, Ptpn22^AREmut male n = 4, B6.NZM.Ptpn22KO n = 3, Ptpn22^AREwt female n = 5, Ptpn22^AREmut female n = 5. Mean ± sem. Significance was calculated using 2-way ANOVA and 1-way ANOVA. P values- one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple-comparison test. Symbols – individual mice. Number of mice: Ptpn22^AREwt male n = 6, Ptpn22^AREmut male n = 4, B6.NZM.Ptpn22KO n = 3, Ptpn22^AREwt female n = 5, Ptpn22^AREmut female n = 5.