Fig. 2.
LMP2A expression in GC B cells reduces the generation of antigen-specific B cells. LMP2AAID and GFPAID mice were immunized i.p. with NP-CGG in alum. (A and B, Left) Flow cytometric analysis of plasma cells (GFP+B220−CD138+) (A) or NP-binding+ B cells (CD4−CD8−CD11b−CD3ε−Gr-1−IgM−IgD−IgG1+GFP+CD19+NP-binding+) (B) in the spleen 14 d after immunization (n = 4). The numbers indicate frequencies of cells in the gates. (A and B, Right) Columns (open: GFPAID, closed: LMP2AAID) indicate mean frequencies. (C) The number of NP-specific IgG1+ (NP-IgG1) and IgM+ (NP-IgM) ASCs or total ASCs in the spleen was analyzed by ELISPOT assay (n = 5). Sixteen days after immunization, splenocytes were prepared from either LMP2AAID or GFPAID mice and used for the assay. Error bars show the means ± SEM. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; NS, not statistically significant.