FIGURE 3.

Increased T cell stimulatory capacity of Nrf2^−/− iDCs. A, Nrf2^+/+ and Nrf2^−/− iDCs (panel i) and untreated (Control) or BSO (100 μm for 24 h) (panel ii)-treated Nrf2 ^+/+ iDCs were pulsed with increasing concentrations of NP68 antigenic peptide, and DCs were then co-cultured with F5 CD8 T cells for 72 h. [³H]Thymidine (³H-Thy) was added for the last 16 h. Proliferation of T cells was determined by scintillation counting of incorporated [³H]thymidine. Data are presented as average [³H]thymidine scintillation counts ± S.D. Statistical significance was tested by one-way analysis of variance (*, p < 0.05). Data are derived from four independent experiments. B, naive F5 CD8 T cells were co-cultured with Nrf2^+/+ or Nrf2^−/− iDCs as described under “Experimental Procedures.” Total numbers of IFN-γ-producing effector T cells were quantified by intracellular cytokine staining. C, Nrf2^+/+ and Nrf2^−/− iDCs (panel i) and untreated or BSO-treated Nrf2 ^+/+ iDCs (panel ii) were pulsed with increasing concentrations of NP34 partial agonist. DC-induced T cell proliferation was determined as in panel A. D, CD62L expression on CD4 and CD8 T cells from the lymph nodes of Nrf2^+/+ and Nrf2^−/− mice was determined by flow cytometry. Histogram overlays are representative of three independent experiments.