Fig. 3: Inhibiting PIM1 alleviated EAU.

a Immunostaining of cross-sections of CDLNs from day 0 group and day 14 EAU group shows PIM1 (green) and nuclei (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole [DAPI]; blue). Each group contains six mice. P(EAU-Normal) = 0.0003. Data represented as mean ± SEM. Significance was determined using unpaired two-tailed student’s t test. ***P < 0.001. Scale bars, 20 mm. b Representative fundus images and clinical scores of eyes from the vehicle group and SMI-4a group after immunization at day 14. White arrowheads indicate inflammatory exudation and vascular deformation. Each group contains six mice. P(EAU-SMI-4a) = 2.8E-06. Data represented as mean ± SEM. Significance was determined using unpaired two-tailed student’s t test. ****P < 0.0001. c Representative histopathological images (hematoxylin and eosin staining) and pathological scores of eyes from the vehicle group and SMI-4a group after immunization at day 14. Black arrowheads indicate infiltration of inflammatory cells and retinal folding. Each group contains six mice. P(EAU-SMI-4a) = 1.0E-08. Data expressed as mean ± SEM. Significance was determined using unpaired two-tailed student’s t test. ****P < 0.0001. Scale bars, 20 mm. d–f Proportions of Th1 cells (d), Th17 cells (e) and regulatory T cells (Treg) (f) were measured by flow cytometry after immunization at day 14. Each group contains six mice. P(Th1) = 0.0005, P(Th7) = 0.0014, P(Treg) = 3.8E-06. Data expressed as mean ± SEM. Significance was determined using unpaired two-tailed student’s t test. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ****P < 0.0001. g–i Proportions of PIM⁺ cells in Th1 cells (g), Th17 cells (h) and regulatory T cells (Treg) (i) were measured by flow cytometry after immunization at day 14. Each group contains six mice. P(Th1) = 1.8E-07, P(Th7) = 7.4E-08, P(Treg) = 3.5E-07. Data expressed as mean ± SEM. Significance was determined using unpaired two-tailed student’s t test. ****P < 0.0001.