Figure 3.

IRA B cells promote the generation of T_H1 effector cells in atherosclerosis. (A) Representative dot plots showing gating for CD3⁺ CD4⁺ CD44^high CD62L^low T effector (T_eff) cells and CD3⁺ CD4⁺ Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells (T_reg) in blood. (B) Kinetics of T_eff and T_reg cell development in blood and spleen as well as proportion of T_eff cells in para-aortic lymph nodes during 10 week HCD feeding of IRA B KO (white) and control (gray) mice. Results are presented as mean ± SEM, * p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, comparing IRA B KO vs. control mice at 10 weeks, n ≥ 6 per group. (C) Representative dot plots showing gating for CD3⁺ CD4⁺ IFNγ⁺ T cells in blood. (D) Quantification of IFNγ-producing T cells in blood, spleen and para-aortic lymph nodes after 10 week HCD feeding of IRA B KO (white) and control (gray) mice. Results are presented as mean ± SEM, * p ≤ 0.05, n ≥ 10 per group. (E) Kinetics of total IgG and IgM serum levels during 10 week HCD feeding of IRA B KO (white) and control (gray) mice. Results are presented as mean ± SEM, n ≥ 6 per group and time point. (F) Quantification of IgG_2c antibody titers against MDA-LDL and copper-oxidized LDL (CuOxLDL) in 1:25 diluted individual serum samples, n ≥ 10 per group. Results are presented as mean ± SEM, * p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01. (G) Quantitative ratio of IgG_2c and IgG₁ titers against MDA-LDL and copper-oxidized LDL (CuOxLDL) in 1:25 diluted individual serum samples, n ≥ 10 per group. Results are presented as mean ± SEM fold changes of the IgG_2c : IgG₁ ratio to illustrate shifts in isotype switching between control and IRA B KO mice, * p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01.