Figure 5.

IL-23 Modulates Th17 Cell Phenotype via a Direct Cell-Intrinsic Mechanism

C57BL.6.Rag1^−/− mice were transferred with 1:1 mixtures of CD45.2⁻ (WT) + CD45.2⁺ (WT), or CD45.2⁻ (WT) + CD45.2⁺(Il23r^−/−) CD4⁺CD45RB^hi T cells. Mice were sacrificed upon development of clinical signs of inflammation (∼8 weeks) and IL-17A and IFN-γ levels in colonic CD4⁺ T cells were assessed by intracellular flow cytometry after in vitro restimulation with PMA and ionomycin.

(A) Representative flow cytometry plots of CD4⁺ T cells isolated from the colon; numbers in quadrants represent frequencies.

(B–D) Frequencies of IL-17A⁺ and/or IFN-γ⁺ CD4⁺ T cells in the colon of cotransferred mice.

Data represent pooled results from two independent experiments. Bars represent the mean; each symbol represents an individual mouse. Statistical significance was determined with the Mann-Whitney test, n = 12 (WT + WT), n = 10 (WT + Il23r^−/−).