Fig. 3

CD4⁺ T cell-specific D2r ablation aggravates depolarization of Th1 and Th17 cells and symptoms of arthritis in CIA mice. A Flow cytometric assay for CD4⁺D2R⁺ cells. The left two panels indicate representative images of the flow cytometric assay, and the right panel is quantitative data showing percentage of CD4⁺D2R⁺ cells in total CD4⁺ cells (n = 6/group). B Flow cytometric assay of the CD4⁺ T cell subsets. The left panel indicates representative images of the flow cytometric assay, and the right panel is quantitative data showing respective percentage of Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg cells in total CD4⁺ cells (n = 5/group). C Efficiency of CD4⁺ T cell-specific D2r deletion. CD4⁺ T cells that were obtained from the spleen of WT or D2r^fl/fl/CD4^Cre mice by magnetic cell sorting were analyzed by Western blot. D Histopathology of ankle joints. The arrows point at synovial tissue showing synovial hyperplasia in CIA mice and D2r^fl/fl/CD4^Cre CIA mice. The arrow heads denote articular cartilage or bone showing cartilage destruction in CIA mice and bone erosion in D2r^fl/fl/CD4^Cre CIA mice. The asterisks indicate articular cavity. E Protein expression of the four transcription factors in ankle joints. Representative protein bands are indicated in the left panel and densitometric data normalized to β-actin are shown in the right panel (n = 5/group). F-I Contents of the cytokines in ankle joints determined by ELISA. All n = 5. J Clinical arthritis score of four limbs, K hind paw thickness and ankle joint width, and L serum anti-CII IgG levels determined by ELISA. n = 6 in (J), K and (L). **P < 0.01, versus control or WT mice; ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01, versus WT CIA mice; NS, no significance