Figure 4.

Administration of IL-1β is sufficient to induce the maturation of splenic CD3⁺CD4⁺Rorγt^negative cells into intestinal Rorγt-expressing sT_H17 cells in GF mice. (A) GF mice were treated every other day for 14 d with either PBS or rIL-1β (1 µg/mouse), and then LP cells were isolated for analysis. Cytokine secretion by total LP cells isolated from either PBS or rIL-1β–treated animals was assessed after ex vivo stimulation with anti-CD3. (B) Experimental scheme for adoptive T cell transfer of sorted splenic Rorγt-GFP⁻CD4⁺ T cells into GF recipients. (C) Recipient GF mice were treated every other day for 14 d with either PBS (right) or rIL-1β (right), and then analyzed. Representative FACS plot gated on CD3⁺CD4⁺Thy1.1⁺/1.2⁺ donor or CD3⁺CD4⁺Thy1.1⁻/1.2⁺ recipient cells isolated from intestinal LP and spleen from the indicated recipient GF mice are shown. Analysis of Rorγt-GFP staining in recipient CD4⁺ cells is shown as a control. Representative results are shown from three independent experiments and five mice per group.