Fig. 5 |. EGR2 is required for T_H17 cell pathogenicity.

a, Intranuclear staining for EGR2 protein in CNS-infiltrating WT CD4⁺ T cells (red histogram) at the peak of EAE disease (20 days post-immunization with MOG_35-55/CFA and Pertussis toxin). n = 10 mice per time point, 2 independent experiments. b, Mean clinical scores of WT (n = 31) and Egr2^ΔT (n = 33) mice following MOG_35-55-immunization as in a; 3 independent experiments. P < 0.0001; Two-way ANOVA. c, Mean clinical scores of WT (n = 21) and Egr2^ΔIL17A (Egr2^f/f × Il17a-Cre⁺) (n = 27) mice following MOG_35-55-immunization as in a; 3 independent experiments. P = 0.001; Two-way ANOVA. d, Frequency of IL-17A- and IFN-γ-expressing 2D2 WT and 2D2 Egr2^ΔT T_H17(β,6,23) cells before the adoptive transfer following ex vivo PMA+Iono stimulation (left) and mean clinical scores of WT mice that received 7.5 x 10⁶ 2D2 WT (n = 59) or 2D2 Egr2^ΔT (n = 49) T_H17(β,6,23) cells intravenously (right); 5 independent experiments. P = 0.0024; Two-way ANOVA. e, Mean clinical scores of WT (n = 15) and Egr1^−/− (n = 11) mice following MOG_35-55-immunization as in a; 2 independent experiments. n.s. = not significant; Two-way ANOVA. f, Frequency of EGR2-expressing 2D2 (Vβ11⁺) T_H17(β,6) cells (red histogram) 48h post-stimulation with increasing doses of plate-bound CD3 antibody and a fixed concentration of CD28 antibody (4 μg/ml) in the presence of T_H17 cell-polarizing cytokines (IL-6+TGFβ1). g, Frequency of EGR2-expressing AND (Vβ3⁺) T_H17(β,6) cells (red histogram) 48h post-stimulation with irradiated B10.BR splenocytes pulsed with a 6 μM concentration of PCC, K99A, or QASA peptide, in the presence of T_H17 cell-polarizing cytokines (IL-6+TGFβ1). Combined data of 3 independent experiments (f,g). Data are presented as mean ± s.e.m. in a-g.