Figure 4. Proliferation and cytokine production in MOG_35–55 immunized WT and HDAC11 KO mice.

(A) Mice were immunized at the base of the tail, and lymph nodes were harvested 11 d later. Cells were cultured with increasing concentrations of MOG_35–55 peptide for 72 h and pulsed with thymidine during the last 14 h of culture. Stimulation index is calculated by dividing mean counts per minute ± SD of stimulated cells cultured with peptide to mean counts per minute ± SD of unstimulated cells cultured without peptide (n = 6). (B, C) Mice were immunized at two sites on the back, and spleens were harvested and cultured with 20 μg MOG_35–55 for 48 h. Supernatants were analyzed for cytokine production. Data shown are mean ± SD from three independent animals per genotype, *P < 0.05. (D) Mice were immunized with MOG_35–55, mRNA was extracted from the lumbar region of the spinal cords at the indicated time post immunization (P.I.), and CCL2 mRNA expression was quantified by qPCR. Data shown are mean ± SD from three independent animals per genotype, of three independent experiments, and P-values were calculated by t test, *P < 0.05.