dNP2-VIVIT Is More Efficient Than 11R-VIVIT at Alleviating Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
EAE was induced in 8-week-old female C57BL/6 mice by immunization with MOG in complete Freund’s adjuvant. The mice were treated intraperitoneally with PBS, dNP2-VIVIT, or 11R-VIVIT on day 7 after immunization and subsequently treated every other day. Clinical scores (A) and incidence (B) were monitored daily (n = 9 for PBS, dNP2-VIVIT 100 μg, and 11R-VIVIT 100 μg; n = 4 for 11R-VIVIT 400 μg). Data are presented as the mean ± SEM of one or two independent experiments. The spinal cord cells were isolated, and IL-17A- and/or IFN-γ-expressing CD4+ T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry (C) and were counted and multiplied to determine their proportion (D). (E and F) The proportion of Foxp3-expressing CD4+ T cells was analyzed in the spinal cord (n = 4 per group). Data are presented as the mean ± SEM of one representative experiment out of two; statistical analysis by two-way ANOVA compared with PBS for (A) and two-tailed Student’s t test for (D) and (E). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. NS, not significant.