Figure 1.

Male and female DUSP6 KO and WT arthritis severity scoring in KSIA

(A) DUSP6 KO (DP6KO) males had significantly lower arthritis severity scored compared with C57BL/6 (WT). The difference was detected as early as day 4 (WT n = 15, DUSP6 KO n = 22, ∗p = 0.019; ∗∗p = 0.006). DUSP6 KO female mice also had significantly lower arthritis score (WT n = 19, DUSP6 KO n = 19, ∗∗∗p < 0.006; ∗p≤ = 0.05). Males and females were also analyzed together (males+females).

(B) To analyze the area under the curves, the medians of the cumulative arthritis scores over time were compared. For combined males+females the median of the cumulative arthritis severity scores (DUSP6 KO median = 18.5; n = 40; WT median = 27.5; n = 34) was significantly different (∗p = 0.0115). The female group comparison (Fem DUSP6 KO median = 14; n = 19; Fem WT median = 27.5; n = 19) was also significantly different (∗p = 0.05). The median cumulative arthritis scores of males were lower in the DUSP6 KO mice compared with WT (male DUSP6 KO median = 22; n = 22; WT median = 30; n = 15) but did not reach statistical significance.

(C) Ankle diameters were significantly smaller in male and female KO mice compared with WT at day 4, 7, and 9 (male WT n = 15, DUSP6 KO n = 23: female WT n = 19, DUSP6 KO n = 17; ∗p ≤ = 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.002; t test).