iNKT Cell Activation Exacerbates the Development of Huntington’s Disease in R6/2 Transgenic Mice

Figure 4

Exacerbated HD pathogenesis induced by α-GalCer treatment is associated with increased infiltration of iNKT cells into the brain. (a-f) Both R6/2 WT and Tg mice were i.p. injected with either PBS () or α-GalCer (2 μg) () once per week starting from 5 weeks of age for a total of 9 weeks. (a-c) Splenocytes were prepared from these mice at 9 weeks after α-GalCer injection. (a) The frequency, (b) cell number, and (c) activation marker (CD69) expression in splenic iNKT cells (α-GalCer/CD1d-dimer⁺CD3⁺) from these mice were determined by flow cytometry. The mean (, and ) are shown. (d-f) Brains were harvested from these mice at 9 weeks after α-GalCer injection, and the brain MNCs were prepared using a Percoll gradient. (d-e) The absolute numbers of brain iNKT cells (α-GalCer/CD1d-dimer⁺CD3⁺) per 0.1 gram were determined by flow cytometry. The mean (, ) are shown (ns: not significant). (f) Surface CD69 expression in splenic and brain iNKT cells (α-GalCer/CD1d-dimer⁺CD3⁺) was determined by flow cytometry. The mean (, ) are shown (ns: not significant). Two-way ANOVA (genotype × treatment) showed an interaction between these two factors ( and ).

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