Figure 6

Less severe SS-like disease in CD25/IL-17/IFN- γ TKO mice. (A) Percentage of lymphocytic infiltration measured in digital images of H&E-stained LG sections from CD25/IL-17/IFN-γ TKO and IL-17/IFN-γ DKO mice aged 4 to 16 weeks (W). (B) Representative images of H&E-stained LG sections from CD25/IL-17/IFN-γ TKO and IL-17/IFN-γ DKO mice aged 4 to 16 weeks (W). The square is a higher magnification of the area underneath. Scale bar = 100 μm. (C) EGF concentration measured in tear washings from different strains (n = 6 to 20 per age/strain). (D) Representative images of immunohistochemistry for LG sections stained for CD4⁺ T cells (red) CD25/IL-17/IFN-γ TKO and IL-17/IFN-γ DKO mice aged 4 to 16 W. Scale bar = 100 μm. (E) Percentage of CD4⁺ T, CD8⁺ T and B220⁺ cells gated in flow cytometry from LG isolated from CD25/IL-17/IFN-γ TKO and IL-17/IFN-γ DKO LG isolates from mice aged 8 to 16 W. Data are presented as mean ± SEM of six individual samples/strain/age. (F) Concentration of IL-13 in serum from CD25/IL-17/IFN-γ TKO and IL-17/IFN-γ DKO mice aged 4 to 16 W. Data are presented as mean ± SEM of five to ten individual samples/strains/age. ^* P <0.05; ^** P <0.01, ^*** P <0.001; ^**** P <0.0001 within strain comparison vs. 4 W (B and C) or 8 W (E and F). ^{^} P <0.05; ^{^^} P <0.01, ^{^^^} P <0.001; ^{^^^^} P <0.0001 interstrain comparison. CD25/IL-17/IFN-γ TKO, CD25^−/−IL-17^−/−IFN-γ−/−; DKO, double knockout; EGF, epidermal growth factor; Fas-L, Fas-ligand; H&E, hematoxylin and eosin; IFN-γ, interferon-gamma; IL-17/IFN-γ DKO, CD25^+/−IL-17^−/−IFN-γ^−/−; IL, interleukin; LG, lacrimal gland; SEM, standard error of the mean; SS, Sjögren’s syndrome; TKO, triple knockout.