Fig. 3: Elevated levels of Th17 cells contribute to the exacerbated colitis in the absence of Senp2.

a Illustration showing the procedures of adoptive transfer of 4 × 10⁵ naive splenic CD4⁺ T cells from WT or CKO mice, or PBS to Rag2^−/− mice. b The survival rates of adoptively transferred Rag2^−/− mice given PBS, naive CD4⁺ WT, or naive CD4⁺ CKO cells. Results were analyzed by Kaplan–Meier statistics (n = 8 in each group). c The quantitative clinical scores of Rag2^−/− recipients at day 49 after adoptive transfer. d H&E staining showing the histopathology of the colon in the recipient Rag2^−/− mice at day 49 after adoptive transfer. The scale bar represents 50 μm. e The thickness of the colon was measured by ImageScope. f, g FACS showing the frequency of Treg (bottom), Th1 (middle), and Th17 (top) cells in the CD3⁺ gate in MLN of Rag2^−/− recipients at day 49 after adoptive transfer (f). Statistical analysis of the frequency of Th1, Th17, and Treg cells in (f) is shown in (g). h Illustration showing the procedures of adoptive co-transfer of CD45.1 WT CD4⁺ T cells and CD45.2 WT or CD45.2 CKO CD4⁺ T cells into Rag2^−/− mice. i FACS showing the frequency of CD45.1⁺ Th17 and CD45.1⁻ Th17 cell populations in the MLN of indicated recipient mice at day 14, and statistical analysis of Th17 cell frequency is shown in (j). k The survival rate of WT and Rorc-CKO mice subjected to DSS-induced colitis using the protocols as described in Fig. 2a. Results were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier statistics. n = 7 in each group. l, m FACS showing the frequency of Th17 (middle) and Treg (right) cell populations in MLN of indicated mice at day 14 (l), and statistical analysis of Th17 cell frequency is shown in (m). Results in (c, e, g, j, l) are mean ± SD (n = 3–5). Each dot represents one mouse. Statistical analysis was done by Student’s t test. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.005.