<i>In vitro</i> expansion of CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells by p570 stimulation.

<p>Splenic lymphocytes were isolated from one NOD mice (total number of mice is 8) and cultured with synthesized p570 (50 ng/ml) for 7–10 d. Cells were collected and assayed by flow cytometry. (a) The percentage of CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ within CD4⁺cells was presented. (b) Total number of CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ T cells in each group after expansion. Data collected from three independent experiments are shown. (c) Expression of the Treg-related phenotype (CTLA-4, GITR, ICOS, LAG-3) in CD4 T cells in each group. (d) Fresh and p570-expanded CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells (R) were compared for their ability to suppress proliferation of CD4⁺ effector T cells (E) under the same conditions as other peptides indicated above. (e) After incubation with p570, IL-2, IL-10 and TGF-β production of expanded CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells was assayed by sandwich ELISA. Data shown are means±SD. *, <i>P</i><0.05 compared with controls.