Figure 2. Impact of anti-IL-6 antibody treatment on mortality and clinical features of aGvHD in the GR^dim model.

GR^wt and GR^dim BALB/c mice were transplanted with BM and purified T cells from C57BL/6 wildtype mice. Some mice received an anti-IL-6 (αIL-6) antibody i.v. on day 2 (all panels) and day 6 (panel A); transfer of BM cells only served as a control. (A) Survival of mice was monitored for 42 days. N = 7 (BM), N = 10/6 (GR^wt ± αIL-6), N = 11/7 (GR^dim ± αIL-6); data pooled from multiple experiments. (B) Clinical scores of mice during the first 6 days after aGvHD induction (dead mice were considered with a score of 10). N = 7 (BM), N = 12/13 (GR^wt ± αIL-6), N = 19/14 (GR^dim ± αIL-6); data pooled from multiple experiments. (C) Body temperature of mice was analyzed on day 6. N = 7 (BM), N = 15/13 (GR^wt ± αIL-6), N = 22/13 (GR^dim ± αIL-6); data pooled from multiple experiments. (D, E) Mice were sacrificed on day 6 and serum levels of IL-6 (D) and IFNγ (E) were analyzed by ELISA. N = 7 (BM), N = 8/11 (GR^wt ± αIL-6), N = 14/12 (GR^dim ± αIL-6) for IL-6; N = 7 (BM), N = 8/12 (GR^wt ± αIL-6), N = 16/12 (GR^dim ± αIL-6) for IFNγ; data pooled from multiple experiments. All values are depicted as the mean ± SEM. Survival curves were compared using the Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon test, statistical analyses of body temperature and cytokine levels were performed by One-way ANOVA followed by Newman-Keuls multiple comparison test (^*p < 0.05; ^**p < 0.01; ^***p < 0.001; n.s.: non-significant).