Fig. 9. Effect of IFN-β-stimulated B cells on TH17 cells.

Purified B cells from spleens of healthy or EAE mice (n = 5) were stimulated with anti-CD40 ± IFN-β for 3 days. Following stimulation, B cells were washed and co-cultured with CD4⁺ T cells from 2D2 mice in the presence of MOG_35–55 antigen. Following IFN-β stimulation, B-cell phenotype and cytokine production were assessed by a, b FACS and c ELISA, respectively. Stimulated B cells were washed and co-cultured with antigen-specific 2D2 T-helper cells in the presence of MOG_35–55 antigen. Representative flow cytometry plots of Ki-67 staining of 2D2 CD4⁺ T cells cultured with B cells from d healthy (n = 3) or e EAE mice (n = 3). f The cytokines IL-17A, GM-CSF, and IL-10 from the co-culture supernatants were analyzed by ELISA (n = 3 per group). Statistical significance was determined using paired one-way ANOVA tests with multiple comparison corrections using the Holm-Sidak’s method. P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Error bars indicate SEM. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.