Figure 3.

Selective ablation of Bcl-3 in CD11c⁺ cells impairs CD4 and CD8 responses in mice. (A) 5×10⁶ CFSE-labeled OT-II T cells were injected i.v. into WT and Bcl-3-Δ-DC mice. 24h later animals were injected s.c. with OVA (μg) and LPS (30μg). Cells were isolated from draining lymphnodes 72h later, stained and gated for Vα2 TCR and CD4, and analyzed by flow cytometry. Representative FACS plots and proliferation and division indices shown. Mean ±SEM; n=8 mice/group based on 2 experiments. (B) Shaved abdomens of WT and Bcl-3-Δ-DC mice were painted with FITC solution and injected s.c. with LPS (30μg). Inguinal lymph nodes were obtained after 18 hours, stained for CD11c and MHC-II and absolute numbers of CD11c⁺MHC-II⁺-FITC⁺DCs were obtained using countbright absolute counting beads. Data shown as mean ±SEM; n=4 mice/group. (C) WT and Bcl-3-Δ-DC mice were sensitized with Oxazolone applied to shaved abdominal skin on two consecutive days. 5 days later mice were challenged on ears and ear swelling was measured blindly at indicated time points post challenge, presented as mean of increase ±SEM in thickness over basal level of solvent-only treated ears; n=5 mice/group; an additional experiment yielded similar data. *P<0.05.