Fig. 3. Ablation of p38α in CNS-resident cells inhibits expression of genes encoding chemokines and inflammatory factors and represses T_H17 cell–induced EAE.

(A) Spinal cord cells from WT and p38α^NesCre EAE mice on day 11 after immunization were subjected to real-time PCR analysis to determine the relative abundances of the indicated mRNAs. Data are means ± SEM of five to seven mice per group. (B to D) Cells were isolated from (B) the spleens, (C) DLNs, and (D) spinal cords of MOG-immunized WT and p38α^NesCre mice (on day 11), stimulated with PMA and ionomycin in vitro, and then analyzed by flow cytometry to determine the percentages of cells positive for IL-17 and IFN-γ among CD4⁺ T cells. Data are means ± SEM of five to seven mice per group. (D) The total numbers of CD4⁺ T cells that infiltrated the spinal cords are indicated above the flow cytometry plots. (E) EAE disease course of WT and p38α^NesCre mice (CD45.2⁺) that received in vitro–derived T_H17 cells from CD45.1 mice. Data are means ± SEM of 10 mice per group. (F and G) Analysis of the numbers of (F) donor-derived CD4⁺ (CD45.1⁺) T cells and (G) host-derived (CD45.2⁺CD11b⁺) myeloid cells isolated from the spinal cords of WT and p38α^NesCre mice on day 11 after adoptive transfer of cells. Data are means ± SEM of four mice per group. (H) Left: Cells were isolated from the spinal cords of recipient WT and p38α^NesCre mice on day 11 after transfer, stimulated with PMA and ionomycin in vitro, and then analyzed by flow cytometry to determine the percentages of cells positive for IL-17 and IFN-γ among donor-derived CD4⁺ (CD45.1⁺) T cells. Right: Data are means ± SEM of four mice per group. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001. Data are representative of two to three independent experiments.