FIGURE 7.

Treatment with anti-IL-4 or anti-TGF-β mAbs in vivo compromises protection to CIA by Salmonella-CFA/I-induced CD4⁺ T cells. (A) CD4⁺ T cells were purified from pooled HNLN and MLN of mice immunized with Salmonella-CFA/I 15 days post-immunization and adoptively transferred to mice in which CIA was induced 2 wks earlier. Corresponding Ab treatments were conducted at weekly intervals starting the day of adoptive transfer for a total of four doses. Each group contained 8 – 10 mice. * P < 0.005, ⁺ P < 0.05 as compared to PBS group; ✢ P < 0.05 as compared to anti-IL-4 or anti-TGF-β mAb-treated mice. (B) Restored production of proinflammatory cytokines in anti-IL-4 and anti-TGF-β mAb-treated mice. Draining LN were collected after following the disease course, and 5x10⁶ cells/ml were re-stimulated with CII for 3 days. TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-17 were measured in supernatants by capture ELISA. Data depict mean value of 6 replicates ± SEM. * P < 0.005 as compared to PBS or anti-TGF-β mAb-treated group; ** P < 0.05 as compared to anti-IL-4 mAb-treated group; ^† P < 0.005 as compared to anti-TGF-β mAb-treated or PBS groups.