Fig. 9: Improving the efficacy of adoptive antigen-specific Treg cell therapy by blocking IL-6/STAT3 signaling in the EAE model.

C57BL/6 mice were subcutaneously injected with MOG_35-55 peptide emulsified in CFA to induce EAE, with or without MOG-specific Tregs and Stattic treatment, and then observed for the development of EAE. A Experimental scheme of the combination therapy of the EAE model. B EAE clinical scores of indicated groups (n = 8 mice per group). C Representative histology images of spinal cord sections. Scale bars, 500 μm. D, E Representative flow cytometry plots and a bar graph showing frequencies of CD4⁺IL-17⁺ Th17 cells in the brain and spinal cord tissues of the indicated mice. F, G Bar graphs showing total Immune cell numbers in the spleen, DLN, spinal cord and brain tissues of the indicated mice. H–K Representative flow cytometry plots and bar graphs showing frequencies of CD4⁺IFN-γ⁺ Th1 cells (H, I) and CD4⁺ Foxp3⁺ Tregs (J and K) in the brain and spinal cord tissues of indicated mice. Sample sizes: (B) n = 8 mice per group; (E–G, I and K) n = 4 mice per group. Data were analyzed by unpaired two-tailed Student’s t tests (B and I) or one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test (E–G and K). Data are representative of two independent experiments (C–K) or are pooled from two independent experiments (B). Summary data are presented as mean ± SEM, ns, not significant. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.