Fig 5. Carbidopa treatment protects joints from collagen induced autoimmune arthritis.

Bovine type II collagen immunized mice were either given drinking water containing carbidopa or plain water. A. Clinical score for arthritis development. B and C. Lymph node cells from mice immunized as in A were challenged in vitro with collagen (100μg/ml) and proliferation and cytokine production was analyzed as in Fig 2. Error bars represent standard deviation of mean (n = 5). D. A photograph of Hematoxylin & Eosin staining of the articular knee joints of collagen induced autoimmune mouse supplemented with water only or drug Carbidopa in water. The arrows indicate loss of cartilage in knee of mice supplemented with water whereas Carbidopa prevent this effect (original magnification 200X). E. A photograph of TRAP staining of the bones of the mice treated as in A. The arrows indicate the presence of osteoclasts. (original magnification 400X). *P = <0.05, and **P = <0.005, P value <0.05 were considered significant.