Figure 7. Ad-siA20-BM-DCs had a reduced ability to activate Foxp3⁺ Tregs.

(A) Enhanced expression of IL-12 and IL-27 by Ad-siA20-BM-DCs after 24 hours of stimulation with LPS in vitro. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, Ad-siGFP-BM-DCs versus Ad-siA20-BM-DCs. (B) Enhanced activation of antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells by Ad-siA20-BM-DCs in vitro. CD8⁺ OT-I T cells (5 × 10⁵ cells) from OT-I transgenic mice were cocultured with Ad-siA20-BM-DCs or Ad-siGFP-BM-DCs (1 × 10⁵ cells) pulsed with 5 μg/ml of OT-I peptide for 5 days. [³H]thymidine incorporation rates and cytokine production of OT-I cells after the depletion of CD11c⁺ DCs were then examined. Data from 1 representative experiment of 3 are presented. *P < 0.05, Ad-siGFP-BM-DCs versus Ad-siA20-BM-DCs. (C and D) Enhanced activation of antigen-specific CD4⁺ Th cells. CD4⁺ OT-II T cells from OT-II transgenic mice were cocultured with Ad-siA20-BM-DCs or Ad-siGFP-BM-DCs (1 × 10⁵ cells) pulsed with 5 μg/ml OT-II peptide for 5 days. [³H]thymidine incorporation rates and Th1- and Th2-polarizing cytokine production (C) and intracellular IL-17 or Foxp3 expression (D) of OT-II cells after the depletion of CD11c⁺ DCs were then examined; data from 1 representative experiment of 3 are presented. *P < 0.05, Ad-siGFP-BM-DCs versus Ad-siA20-BM-DCs.