NOD-IFN-γ-KO mice exhibit enhanced pelvic pain and lymph node expression of IL-17A.

<p>NOD-IFN-γ-KO (A, n = 5) or NOD mice (B, n = 5) or were infected with CP-1 bacteria and referred visceral hyperalgesia was measured as responses to mechanical stimulation of the pelvic region using von Frey filaments of 5 calibrated forces. Data is shown as the mean percentage of positive response ± SEM before infection (baseline) and at days 10, 20 and 30 days after infection. The symbol key shown in panel B applies to panels A. Percent increase in response in NOD and NOD-IFN-γ-KO mice were compared over the 30 days time-course (C). Representative flow cytometry analysis of CD4+ T cells from draining lymph nodes of naïve and CP-1 infected NOD-IFN-γ-KO mice. Isolated lymph node cells were gated on CD4+ T cells followed by intracellular cytokine staining for IL-17A+ and IL-4+ expression. Percent of CD4+ T cells representative of multiple animals are shown in individual quadrants. Experiments were repeated twice independently with 5 mice/group.