Figure 2. Reduced disease severity in IMQ-induced psoriasis in the absence of TWEAK.

WT and TWEAK-deficient mice were treated epicutaneously on the shaved back with IMQ for 8 days to induce psoriasis-like disease. (a,b) TWEAK and Fn14 mRNA fold induction in WT mice relative to expression in skin from naive animals (control). Combined results from three experiments. Each data point an individual mouse. (c) Representative Masson's trichrome staining of skin sections. Scale bar, 200 μm. (d,e) Epidermal and dermal thickness on day 8 measured on trichrome-stained sections. (f,g) IL-17 mRNA in skin lesions and frequency of IL-17 positive CD4+ T cells in skin-draining lymph nodes on day 8 (f) or day 4 (g). Each datapoint one mouse. (h) Total numbers of CD45⁺ cells (left top), CD45⁺CD11b⁺ monocytes (left bottom) and SigF⁺CD45⁺CD11b⁺Ly6G⁻ eosinophils (right) from skin biopsies obtained on day 8. Combined results from three experiments. Each data point one animal. Bars represent mean values. The Mann–Whitney U-test was performed to compare the groups. Asterisks indicate P<0.05. n.s. indicates nonsignificant differences.