Fig. 2: Quantification of antigen-specific and total ASCs in BCMA-KOΔ3 and WT mice after T-dependent immunization with NP-KLH.
From: B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is dispensable for the survival of long-lived plasma cells
A Schematic illustration of the experimental setup. BCMA-KOΔ3 and WT control mice were immunized with 100 µg NP-KLH in alum and analyzed 7 weeks after immunization. B NP-specific IgG serum concentration was determined by ELISA for WT (black, n = 9) and BCMA-KOΔ3 mice (gray, n = 6). C IgH-chain isotype-specific quantification of antigen-specific ASCs by ELISpot analysis in bone marrow. The images below are representative pictures of ELISpot analysis with numbers indicating the number of cells seeded per well (NP-IgM: n = 7 (WT), 5 (KOΔ3); NP-IgA: n = 9 (WT), 6 (KOΔ3); NP-IgG: n = 8 (WT), 6 (KOΔ3)). D Flow cytometric quantification of total ASC numbers per organ (Bone marrow was pooled from one femur and tibia/mouse, n = 9 WT and 10 KOΔ3 for bone marrow and splenic ASCs; n = 8 WT and 10 KOΔ3 for mLN ASCs). E Flow cytometric quantification of germinal center (GC) B cells and antigen-specific GC B cells (NP+ GC B cells) numbers in the spleen. Bar diagrams show mean and SD with each dot indicating one mouse (GC B cell: n = 6 WT mice and n = 7 BCMA-KOΔ3 mice, NP+ GC B cell: n = 5 WT mice and n = 4 BCMA-KOΔ3 mice). All statistical comparisons were performed using a two-way ANOVA with Šídák’s multiple comparisons test. Exact p-values, mouse sex, and ages are provided in the Source Data file. ns not significant, ASC antibody-secreting cell, i.p. intra-peritoneal, mLN mesenteric lymph node, BC B cell.
