IL-21 Limits Peripheral Lymphocyte Numbers through T Cell Homeostatic Mechanisms
Figure 1
Increased cell numbers in IL-21R-deficient mice.
(A) Total splenocyte numbers in 6 to 8-week old C57BL/6 mice compared to age-matched NOD mice (n = 14 mice/group, p = 0.03). (B) Total cell numbers (n = 14 mice/group, p = 0.008), absolute CD4+ T cell numbers (n = 13 mice/group, p = 0.0002) and absolute CD8+ T cell numbers (n = 14 mice/group, p = 0.003) for the splenocytes of NOD mice, at 6 to 8-weeks of age, compared to those from age-matched IL-21R KO NOD mice. (C) Total cell numbers (n = 13 mice/group, p = 0.01), absolute CD4+ T cell numbers (n = 12 mice/group, p = 0.02), and absolute CD8+ T cell numbers (n = 19 mice/group, p = 0.04) from the spleens of C57BL/6 mice, average age of 8 weeks, and IL-21R KO C57BL/6 mice, average age of 9 weeks. (D) Absolute B cell numbers (n = 6 mice/group, p = 0.01) for mice described in C. Data shown are from three or four independent experiments. Results are presented as mean absolute numbers ±SEM.
