Figure 6

Restoration of C protein-induced myositis (CIM) in W/W^vmice engrafted with mast cells. (a) Cultured bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) transgenic mice (1 × 10⁷ cells) were injected intravenously into 6-week-old W/W^v mice (BMMC-engrafted W/W^v [W/W^v + BMMCs] mice). Four weeks after the transplantation, the presence of mast cells in skeletal muscle was evaluated. Representative photomicrographs of eGFP⁺ mast cells in skeletal muscle in W/W^v mice (as a control) and BMMC-engrafted W/W^v mice are shown. (b) Four weeks after the transplantation of BMMCs, CIM was induced in BMMC-engrafted W/W^v mice. CIM was induced in WT mice and W/W^v mice as controls. Twenty-one days after the induction, specimens of muscle from WT mice (n = 10), W/W^v mice (n = 11), and BMMC-engrafted W/W^v mice (n = 11) were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Representative photomicrographs, histological scores (left panel), and necrotic muscle area (right panel) are shown. *P <0.01, **P <0.05.