Figure 4

Immune activation in zQ175 mice. (a) Increased gene expression in late-stage zQ175 mice for several cytokines in splenic (n = 5–6/group) and peritoneal (n = 5–6/group) macrophage populations. 22-month-old zQ175 mice ± SEM splenic and peritoneal macrophage gene expression for cytokines relative to WT as quantified by qPCR. (b) Increased activated T cell numbers in 22-month-old Q175 mice. Mean % ± SEM of splenic T cells (gated as; CD3⁺, CD4⁺ or CD8⁺) expressing OX40 highly in 22 month old WT (n = 5/group) and zQ175 mice (n = 6/group) as assessed by FACS. (c) Increased activated peritoneal macrophage and DC frequencies in 22-month-old zQ175 mice. Mean percentage ± SEM of peritoneal macrophage and splenic DC expressing OX40L highly in 22 month old WT (n = 5/group) and zQ175 mice (n = 5/group) as assessed by FACS. (d) Increases in cytokine gene expression was limited to the striatum of 12 month old zQ175 mice. Mean Il1β, Il6, Il10, Il12 and Tnfα gene expression levels in cerebellum, striatum and cortex of zQ175 mice (n = 5/group) compared to WT (n = 5/group) ± SEM as measured by qPCR. (e) There were no increases in cytokine gene expression in 21 month old zQ175 mice. Mean Il1β, Il6, Il10, Il12 and Tnfα gene expression levels in cerebellum, striatum and cortex of zQ175 mice (n = 5/group) compared to WT (n = 5/group) ± SEM as measured by qPCR. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 vs WT by Student’s t test. WT = wild type, pM0 = peritoneal macrophages, DC = dendritic cells.