Fig 3.

Increase in regulatory B (B_reg) cells caused by rebamipide. Cells were harvested and stained immediately for different cell surface markers. (a) Splenocytes isolated from zymosan-induced arthritis SKG or rebamipide-treated mice were stained for B220, immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgD or B220, CD23, and CD21 and then analysed by flow cytometry. Data are shown as the average percentages of T1 (IgM^high IgD^low), T2 (IgM^high IgD^high), and mature (IgM^low IgD^high) B cells as well as follicular B cells (CD21^low CD23^high), marginal zone B cells (CD21^high CD23^high) and memory B cell (CD38^high IgM^high) from the B220⁺ gate in the spleen. Regulatory and putative B cell subsets from the CD19⁺ gated population of splenocytes were identified as B10 cells (CD1d^high CD5^high) or B_reg cells [CD25^high forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3⁺)] as shown in each gate on the dot-plot. (b) Graphs depict the percentage of B cell subsets remaining in the B220⁺ or CD19⁺ gated population of the spleen following therapeutic treatment with rebamipide (6 mg/kg). Data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation of three independent experiments. *P < 0·05; **P < 0·01; ***P < 0·001, compared to control mice.