Figure 2

IRF3-deficient mice have less central nervous system infiltration in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Spinal cords were dissected from perfused interferon regulatory factor 3–knockout (irf3 ^−/−) and wild-type (WT) mice, and mononuclear cells were isolated by Percoll gradient centrifugation. (A) The absolute numbers of central nervous system mononuclear cells in irf3 ^−/− and WT mice were determined. (B) and (C) Cells were cultured for 4 hours with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin in the presence of GolgiPlug protein transport inhibitor. Cells were stained for CD4 and CD8 (B). The percentages of positive gated live cells are displayed. Cells were intracellularly stained for interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) (C). The percentages of positive gated CD4⁺ live cells are displayed. Cells from one representative experiment (harvested on day 22 after immunisation) of two is shown.