Figure 3.

β-NIK-OE Mice Display Increased Lymphocyte Infiltration in Islets at Young Age

(A) B lymphocytes were immunostained with anti-B220 antibody. Pancreatic sections were also immunostained with anti-insulin antibody to identify islet β cells (β-NIK-OE: n = 6; control: n = 5). (B) T lymphocytes were immunostained with anti-CD3 antibody in pancreatic sections of male β-NIK-OE mice and control mice at 8 weeks of age. Pancreatic sections were also immunostained with anti-insulin antibody to identify islet β cells (β-NIK-OE: n = 5; control: n = 6). The scale bars represent 100 μm. (C) Islets were isolated from male β-NIK-OE mice and control mice at 6 weeks of age. Single cells were dispersed and subjected to FACS analysis. Representative FACS plots of staining for total T (CD45.2⁺CD3⁺) cells, CD4 T (CD45.2⁺CD3⁺CD4⁺) cells, and CD8 T (CD45.2⁺CD3⁺CD8⁺) cells were presented. (D) Quantification of FACS data (β-NIK-OE: n = 3 pooled samples; control: n = 4 pooled samples; each pooled sample contained islet cells from 2–8 mice). (E) mRNA levels in islets of male β-NIK-OE mice and control mice were measured by qRT-PCR (β-NIK-OE: n = 7; control: n = 7). ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01. Data represent the mean ± SEM.