Enhanced <i>H. pylori</i>–specific Th1 response in chronically infected TLR2KO mice.

<p>BMDCs from WT mice were cultured. On day 6, 1 × 10⁶ cells/mL of BMDCs were treated with <i>H</i>. <i>pylori</i> (H. <i>pylori</i> to DC ratio was 10 to 1). DCs were prepared 18 h after infection with <i>H</i>. <i>pylori</i> and cocultured with splenocytes from WT mice or TLR2KO mice after <i>H</i>. <i>pylori</i> infection of 2 months duration. During the 72 h coculture, the splenocyte-to-DC ratio was 10 to 1. The percentages of IFN-γ, IL-17A, and Foxp3 from splenocytes were determined using an intracellular cytokine staining assay. Representative flow plots demonstrate the increase of IFN-γ and the decrease of IL-17A and Foxp3 in TLR2KO splenocytes compared to WT splenocytes with gating held constant. At the same time, results are expressed as the mean of three sample replicates. A higher population of IFN-γ–positive cells are seen in TLR2KO splenocytes stimulated by <i>H</i>. <i>pylori</i>. In contrast, a lower population of IL-17A and Foxp3 cells are seen in TLR2KO splenocytes after <i>H</i>. <i>pylori</i> infection. Data represent means ± SEM, n = 5 in duplicate.