(A) A representative pair of harvested spleens and peripheral lymph nodes (PLNs) from 12-week old IL-23R+/+ and IL-23R−/− MRL.lpr mice are shown here. (B) Spleen and PLN weights from the two groups (n=3) are plotted here. (C) Total number of splenocytes and PLN cells from the two groups (n=3) are shown here. (D–E) Cells from spleens and lymph nodes were isolated from IL-23R+/+ and IL-23R−/− MRL.lpr mice, stained for Thy1.2, CD3, CD4 and CD8, and analyzed with flow-cytometry. Representative plot of CD4 and CD8 staining of Thy1.2+CD3+ splenocytes and PLN cells from both groups (D) and cumulative results (E, n=3). *= p< 0.05. Error bar represents SD. Data are representative of three independent experiments.