Figure 6.

Increased numbers of IFNγ-producing T cells in the CNS of EAE diseased Dkk3^−/− mice in the recovery phase. (A) EAE was induced in Dkk3^−/− and WT mice by immunization with MOG_33–55 in CFA. Mean clinical EAE score over time is displayed. At the indicated time point (black arrow, 20 days after EAE induction), mice were sacrificed and lymphocytes were isolated from brain and spinal cord for analysis in (B–G). (B) Percentages of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells among leukocytes in the CNS of Dkk3^−/− and WT mice (*p < 0.05). (C) Proportion of CD25⁺ Foxp3⁺ of CD4⁺ cells. (D–G) Isolated lymphocytes from (A) were re-stimulated in vitro with 50 μg/ml MOG_33–55 peptide for 6 h in the presence of Golgi Plug and intracellularly stained for the respective cytokines. Shown is one representative dot plot (left panel) and cumulative data of three individual experiments (n = 8). (D) Percentages of IL-17⁺ of CD4⁺ T cells. (E) Percentages of GM-CSF⁺ of CD4⁺ T cells. (F) Percentages of IFNγ⁺ of CD4⁺ T cells (*p < 0.05). (G) Percentages of IFNγ⁺ of CD8⁺ T cells (*p < 0.05). (H) Percentages of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in spleen and draining lymph nodes (LN) of respective mice from (A). (I) Percentages of IFNγ⁺ of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells in spleen and draining lymph nodes (LN) of respective mice from (A).