Fig. 1

Th1 and Th2-skewing of the adaptive immune response in the ocular surface of transgenic CD4⁺ T cell receptor mice. A OT-II mice [transgenic for an ovalbumin (OVA)-specific MHC II-restricted T cell receptor) were immunized with OVA in combination with either complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) or alum to induce a Th1- or Th2-skewed immune response, respectively. Three weeks later (day 21), mice were given saline or OVA eye drops daily for 10 days to induce an ocular immune response. B Delayed-type hypersensitivity response to footpad OVA injection in immunized OT-II mice. The reference line corresponds to historical data from the same assay performed on wild-type C57/BL6 mice. Cumulative data (left) and representative images (right) of footpads. C Serum OVA-specific IgE levels in OT-II mice 30 days after immunization as assessed by ELISA (representative experiment). Upper and lower reference lines correspond to positive (alum-immunized) and negative (non-immune) wild-type controls. D Representative dot plots and E cumulative data of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-17 production by CD4⁺ T cells obtained from spleens of immunized mice. F Cumulative data of ratio of IL-4/IFN-γ producing CD4⁺ T cells. G Representative photographs of mouse eyes on day 31 of the experiment (after 10 days of antigenic challenge). H Conjunctival CD4⁺ T cells in immunized mice on day 31 as assessed by flow cytometry (representative experiment). All experiments were performed twice or more with 6 mice/group/experiment. For all experiments, mean ± standard error of measurement is shown. To compare means, Student’s t test was used for B, C, E, and F, and two-way ANOVA (immunization and ocular challenge) with Sidak’s post hoc test was used for H. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ns not significant