Figure 2. Levels of inflammatory cytokines are increased in CD4⁺ T cells of BLM-treated SKG mice in vivo and the STIM1/STING pathway and its STAT6 and IRF3 downstream pathways are activated in CD4⁺ T cells of SKG mice in vitro. (A) Numbers of CD4⁺IL-4⁺ (Th2) and CD4⁺IL-17⁺ (Th17) cells in spleens of BLM-treated mice (n=3 per group). Cells were stimulated with LPS for 3 days and Golgistop for the final 4 h. (B) Spleen tissues of BLM-treated mice were stained with anti-CD4 (green), anti-IL-4 (red), and anti-IL-17 (red) Abs to identify Th2 and Th17 cells (BLM-treated BALB/c mice [n=5] and SKG mice [n=4]). Scale bars=20 μm. (C) CD4⁺ T cells from spleen tissues of mice were stained with anti-ORAI1 (green) and anti-STIM1 (red) Abs. Scale bars=20 μm. (D) Numbers of pSTING⁺ cells, pSTAT6⁺ cells, pIRF3⁺ cells, and IL-4⁺ IFN-α⁺ cells of CD4⁺ T cells in spleens of mice. Cells were stimulated with anti-CD3 Ab, anti-CD28 Ab, anti-IFN-γ Ab, and IL-4 for 3 days. Values are means ± SEMs from three independent experiments.

ns, not significant.

^*p<0.05, ^**p<0.01, and ^***p<0.001.