Extended Data Fig. 2: Creld1 deficiency leads to reduced T cell numbers in middle-aged mice.

a, Schematic representation of Creld1 WT and flox locus; activation of Cre recombinase leads to the deletion of exons 3 to 6 (CD4-Cre⁺; Creld1^cKO). b, Creld1 expression levels in control (grey) or Creld1-deficient (red) CD4⁺ T cells (n = 3, unpaired two-tailed t-test, ***p = 6.1×10^-6). c, Flow cytometry analysis of CD4⁺ T cells stained for Creld1. d, Body weight of 3-months-old animals (n = 6). e, Weight of spleen and thymus normalized to body weight of 3-months-old animals (spleen n = 6; thymus, control n = 5, Creld1^cKO n = 7). f, Number of cells for double negative (DN), double positive (DP) and CD4/CD8 single positive T cells in the thymus of 3-months-old control or Creld1^cKO animals (n = 6). g–i, Total cell number for the main T cell populations of control or Creld1^cKO 3-months-old animals (n = 6) in (g) spleen, (h) peripheral lymph nodes (pLN, inguinal and brachial) and (i) mesenteric lymph nodes. j, Total cell number for main T cell populations in colon of 1-year-old control or Creld1^cKO animals (control n = 4, Creld1^cKO n = 5, unpaired two-sided t-test, p > 0.05). k, Body weight of 1-year-old animals (n = 9). l, Normalized spleen and thymus weight of 1-year-old animals (n = 9 and 4, respectively). m, Percentage of CD8⁺ T cells from mesenteric lymph nodes of middle-age animals producing IFN-γ or TNF (n = 5).(Boxplots in figure represent median value as well as 25^th-75^th percentiles; whiskers show the 5^th-95^th percentiles.).