Efficient Therapeutic Function and Mechanisms of Human Polyclonal CD8⁺CD103⁺Foxp3⁺ Regulatory T Cells on Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Mice

Figure 4

Therapeutic functions of human CD8^-Tregs on collagen-induced arthritis in mice. Briefly, human CD8⁺Tregs were adoptively transferred into established CIA mice on day 28 after the first immunization. Mice were scored for clinical signs of arthritis in the limb joints by macroscopic examination three times a week. Limb joint arthritis was assessed by an established scoring system. A series of arthritic indices were examined. (a) Clinical scores. Arthritic scores analyzed from day 21 in each group (untreated CIA mice, PBMC-treated mice, and CD8⁺Treg-treated mice) during the observation period are shown. Each group had at least 6 individual mice; compared with CIA mice and the PBMC group by unpaired -tests. (b) Anti-bovine CII IgG detection in serum. Sera were collected on day 56 to measure the content of anti-CII-specific IgG antibody by ELISA. Each mean represents at least 3 individual samples; the bars indicate the ; and . (c) Histology evaluation. Hind paws were collected on day 56. Images of the affected paws were captured, and tissues were stained with Safranin O-fast green (upper, showing cartilage erosion) and H&E (lower, showing synovial joint inflammation) (magnification, 200x). The arrows indicate representative areas of cartilage erosion (upper) and synovial joint inflammation (lower); statistics results were calculated from 3 individual mice.

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