FIGURE 6.

MKP-1 deficiency in CD4⁺ T cells causes resistance to EAE disease. CD4⁺ T cells were purified from WT and MKP-1 KO mice. 5 × 10⁶ WT or KO cells were injected into Rag1^−/− mice through the tail vein. 24 h after T cell transfer, Rag1^−/− recipients (five mice in each group) were immunized with MOG_35–55 peptide to elicit EAE. A, EAE disease was scored. B, mononuclear cells in the central nervous system were stained with anti-CD4 and anti-CD11b antibodies. C, central nervous system-infiltrated leukocytes were activated with PMA and ionomycin in the presence of GolgiPlug. IFNγ and IL-17 production by CD4⁺ cells was examined by intracellular cytokine staining. Total cytokine-producing cells were calculated and averaged. The data are representative of two independent experiments with similar results.