Interferon Regulatory Factor-5 Deficiency Ameliorates Disease Severity in the MRL/lpr Mouse Model of Lupus in the Absence of a Mutation in DOCK2
Figure 8
B cell development in IRF5+/+ and IRF5−/− MRL/lpr mice.
Bone marrow (A) and spleen cells (B) from 2, 3, and 4-month-old IRF5+/+ (filled circles) and IRF5−/− (open circles) MRL/lpr mice were stained with antibodies against B220, AA4.1, IgM, CD19, CD21 and CD23. A. In bone marrow, percentages of B220+AA4.1+ (pro-B, pre-B and immature B) and B220+AA4.1− (mature B) cells, percentages of Hardy fractions B-D (pro-B and pre-B; B220+IgM−), fraction E (immature B; B220intermediateIgM+), and fraction F (mature or re-circulating B; B220highIgM+) were determined. B. In spleen, percentages and cell numbers of B cells (CD19+), immature B cells (B220+AA4.1+) and mature B cells (B220+AA4.1−) were determined. Mature B cells were further classified as marginal zone (MZ) B cells (CD21+CD23low) and follicular (FO) B cells (CD23+) based on CD21 and CD23 expression. Each dot represents an individual mouse. Bars represent mean ± SEM. *p<0.05; **p<0.01.