Figure 1.

Long-term decreased frequencies and numbers of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells in Cd38^−/− mice after adoptive transfer of bm12 spleen cells. WT mice (closed circles) or Cd38^−/− mice (open circles) were i.p. injected with bm12 cells and euthanized at the indicated time points and spleens were analyzed. (A, B) Representative flow cytometry contour plots showing gating strategy for Tfh cells. (A) First, gating on CD4⁺ cells, then gating on CXCR5⁺PD-1⁺. (B) Then, gating on FoxP3⁻ cells: CD4⁺PD-1^hiCXCR5⁺FoxP3⁻. (C) Percentages of Tfh cells (of CD4⁺ T cells) in spleen at the indicated time points. (D) Total number of Tfh cells (in spleen) over time. (E) Percentages of CD4⁺ T cells (CD4⁺TCR-β⁺) in spleens. (F) Total number of CD4⁺ T cells in spleen. (G) Total number of spleen cells over time. (H) Spleen length (cm) over time upon the adoptive transfer. In all panels, the symbols are the mean values and the vertical bars represent ± SEM. P-values are shown for Welch’s t-test. The results are cumulative data from two to four different experiments per time point and mouse type, each with three to five mice per experiment. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001.