Figure 1.

Bcl-x_L overexpression rescues NKT cell development in NFκB-signalling deficient mice. (A) Thymic, splenic and hepatic NKT cells from C57BL/6 (n = 4), B6-IκBαΔN ^tg (n = 8) and B6-IκBαΔN ^tg;Bcl2l1 ^tg (n = 4) mice were identified as CD3ε⁺tetramer⁺ cells within electronically gated CD8^lo thymocytes or B220^lo splenocytes. Numbers are % NKT cells among total leukocytes within each organ. (B) % of NKT cells (top) and CD3ε^hi cells in thymus spleen and liver, Data are mean ± standard error (sem) from 3 independent experiments. (C) NKT cell developmental stages were identified as CD44⁻NK1.1⁻ stage 0 + 1, CD44⁺NK1.1⁻ stage 2, or CD44⁺NK1.1⁺ stage 3 in the thymus or as NK1.1⁻tetramer⁺ or NK1.1⁺tetramer⁺ splenocytes and liver MNCs. Numbers are % cells among total NKT cells. n, as in A. (D) Expression of CD4, CD69, CD122, Ly6C, Ly49C/I, and CD62L by thymic, splenic, and hepatic NKT cells was determined by flow cytometry after surface staining with specific mAb. Data are representative of 2 independent experiments. n, as in A. ns, not significant (P > 0.05); *P ≤ 0.05, **P ≤ 0.001, ***P ≤ 0.0001.