Figure 1. Deletion of Itga4 in B cells leads to EAE exacerbation.

(A–D) EAE was induced in CD19^Cre Itga4^fl/fl mice and CD19^Cre mice. The mean clinical score is shown for each group over time (± SEM). (B) At the peak of the disease, CNS cells were collected. Surface and intracellular cytokine staining of CNS-infiltrating CD4⁺ T cells were performed and absolute numbers of CNS-infiltrating CD4⁺ T cells, CD11b⁺ cells and CD19⁺ B cells were determined. (C) The plots show the percentages of IL17⁺, IFNγ⁺ cells gated on CD4⁺ T cells. (D) Absolute numbers of Th1 (IFNγ⁺IL17⁻), Th17 (IFNγ⁻IL17⁺), Th1-17 (IFNγ⁺IL17⁺) and Tregs (CD4⁺ Foxp3⁺) in the CNS of CD19^Cre Itga4^fl/fl mice (grey) and CD19^Cre mice (white) were determined from 2 independent experiments with 5 mice per group. (E–F) Spleen and draining lymph node (dLN) cells were collected from MOG_35-55-immunized mice 8 days after immunization and an intracellular cytokine staining on CD4⁺ T cells was performed. (E) Mean absolute numbers of IL17⁺and IFNγ⁺ producing CD4⁺ T cells in the spleen (top) and dLN (bottom) for both groups. (F) Proliferative response after MOG restimulation of splenic and dLN cells isolated from MOG_35-55-immunized CD19^Cre Itga4^fl/fl mice and CD19^Cre mice was measured by [³H] thymidine incorporation. Results are representative of 2 independent experiments. Statistical significance was designated as follows: * p<0.05 **; p<0.01 and # p<0.005.