Research Article

CD11c-Specific Deletion Reveals CREB as a Critical Regulator of DC Function during the Germinal Center Response

Figure 3

Enhanced GC responses in CKO mice: (a) statistical analysis of frozen spleen sections stained with anti-CD3-APC antibody and biotinylated PNA/streptavidin DyLight-488. The number of GCs per mm2 spleen was counted in WT and CKO mice after immunization with NP-CGG and Alum (, unpaired, two-tailed t-test, ). (b) Representative frozen spleen sections from immunized mice stained with anti-CD3-APC antibody (red) for T cells and biotinylated PNA/streptavidin DyLight-488 (green) for GC cells. The slides were imaged with a 10x objective using a fluorescence microscope. (c) ELISA, using plates coated with NIP-BSA for analysis of anti-NP-IgGs. Anti-NP antibodies were detected with anti-mouse IgG. Data indicate the n-fold upregulation of OD values compared to OD-values of unimmunized control mice (mean of 5 animals, two-tailed, unpaired t-test, ). (d) Percentages of GL-7+ cells within B220+ cells in spleens of immunized mice determined by flow cytometry (two-tailed, unpaired t-test, ); (e) percentages of CXCR5+ICOS+ cells within CD4+ T cells in spleens of immunized mice determined by flow cytometry; (f) representative dot plot showing Tfh cells (as ICOS and CXCR5-expressing cells within CD4+) in WT and CKO mice after immunization; (g) representative dot plot showing Tfh cells (as PD-1 and CXCR5-expressing cells within CD4+) in WT and CKO mice after immunization; (h) percentages of CD11c+ cells within CD19+ cells in spleens of immunized mice determined by flow cytometry. For (d, e, and h),each dot represents an individual mouse, and horizontal bars indicate SEM. and .
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)