Evaluating IL-21 as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Crohn’s Disease

Figure 5

The IL-21R is expressed by T cells, B cells, plasma cells, and macrophages in the intestine from patients with Crohn’s disease. Double immunofluorescence staining for the IL-21R (red signal in (a), (d), (g), and (j)), CD3⁺ T cells (green signal in (b)), CD20⁺ B cells (green signal in (e)), CD138⁺ plasma cells (green signal in (h)), and CD68⁺ macrophages (green signal in (k)) of the intestine from patients with CD analysed by confocal microscopy. Merged images of (a, b), (d, e), (g, h), and (j, k) are seen in (c), (f), (i), and (l), respectively. IL-21R⁺ T cells, plasma cells, and macrophages are seen in lymphoid aggregates of the submucosa, and IL-21R⁺ B cells are seen in the lymphoid aggregate of the muscularis externa. The nuclei (in blue) were counterstained with Hoechst. Bars: 10 μm (c, f, i, l).

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