Figure 2.
Interleukin-9 (IL-9) neutralization ameliorates experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) symptoms. Clinical manifestations (a) and body weight (b) were measured in rats from the complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) group (•), EAMG group (○), IgG-treated group (◇), and the high-dose (□) and low-dose (▽) IL-9 neutralization groups. Arrows indicate the day that R-AChR97–116 boosters were injected. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD of four different experiments. (c) Sections from rats in the CFA, EAMG, low-dose and high-dose IL-9 neutralization groups were examined for the presence of AChR (red fluorescence) at the endplates (NF-200, green fluorescence) to assess changes to the neuromuscular junctions (bar = 100 μm) during the chronic phase. (d) Mean fluorescence intensities (MFIs) of AChR staining were measured from more than 10 fields from each group. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD, ***P < 0.001, *P < 0.05.