Fig. 1

Mice with conditionally deleted caspase-8 exhibit mild systemic inflammation. We evaluated 2–3-month old (young) and 6–8-month-old (aged) female Casp8 ^fl/fl (control) and Cre ^LysM Casp8 ^fl/fl mice (n ≥ 4) for systemic autoimmune disease phenotypes. a Representative spleens and cervical lymph nodes from aged mice. b Spleen weights of young and aged mice. c Total numbers of live splenocytes from young and aged mice. d Cervical lymph node weights of young and aged mice. e Formalin-fixed kidney sections (5 μm) of aged mice stained with periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) and frozen kidney sections (10 μm) stained with IgGα-fluorescein isothiocyanate. f Kidney score of aged mice. g Proteinuria of aged mice assessed using Uristix reagent strips. Serum from aged mice was evaluated for levels of h ssDNA-, dsDNA-, histone-, and chromatin-reactive IgG antibodies; i total IgM and IgG isotypes; and j cytokines and chemokines. k Survival study. Data are represented as mean ± SD and were compared by Mann–Whitney U test: *p < 0.05; ***p < 0.0005. Casp8 caspase-8, dsDNA double-stranded DNA, Gro-α growth-regulated oncogene-α, IFN interferon, Ig immunoglobulin, IL interleukin, KC keratinocyte chemoattractant, LN lymph node, MCP monocyte chemoattractant protein, OD optical density, sRANKL soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand, ssDNA single-stranded DNA, TNF tumor necrosis factor