Figure 4. Preventive C5a vaccination in collagen induced arthritis.

(A–D) Highly CIA susceptible (BALB/c × B10.Q) F1 male mice () were vaccinated s.c. with 50 µg 6xHIS tagged (A, C; C5aY³⁵4NPA n=19, wtC5a n=18, PBS n=18) or non-tagged (B, D; C5aY³⁵4NPA n=18, wtC5a n=16, PBS n=16) proteinor PBS on d0 and boosted with 25 µg of protein or PBS on d14 and 46. CIA was induced on d18 with one booster injection on d39. Serum samples were taken on d28, d46 and d90. Mean arthritis scores (with SEM) of sick animals (A, B) and arthritis incidence are shown (C, D). Significance in arthritis scores was calculated by Mann-Whitney U-test. (e) Anti-type II collagen antibody titers in sera of all animals at d28, d46 and d90 (C5aY³⁵4NPA n=37, wtC5a n=34, PBS n=34) were measured by quantitative ELISA. Data show means with SEM, significance was calculated by Mann-Whitney U-test. (F, G) Anti-CIIC1 (E) and anti-CIIU1 IgG titers (G) in individual sera of all animals at d28, d46 and d90 (C5aY³⁵4NPA n=37, wtC5a n=34, PBS n=34) were measured by quantitative ELISA. Data show means with SEM, significance was calculated by Mann-Whitney U-test.