Fig. 2.

Tolerance to the non-modified CII_260–270 epitope is lost after Aire deficiency. Loss of tolerance to CII occurs in an Aire-dependent way and specifically affects T cells specific for the non-modified CII_260–270 epitope. a Arthritis prevalence in MMC.Aire^Suf and MMC.Aire^KO male and female mice after immunization with rat CII. b, c ELISPOT data from in vitro recall responses of pooled lymph node and spleen cells from indicated number of MMC.Aire^Suf and MMC.Aire^KO mice 10 days (b) or 10 weeks (c) after CII immunization. Cells were stimulated with the non-modified and PTM CII_260–270 peptide or left unstimulated (No Ag). Values shown are the mean ± SEM number of spots recorded for IFN-γ producing cells. Fisher′s exact test was used to calculate significance of arthritis prevalence, whereas Mann–Whitney U test was used in ELISPOT assays. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; NS not significant