NKT cell development is defective in <i>PKC-θ^−/−</i> mice.

<p>A) Flow cytometric analysis of thymic NKT cells in WT (top panels) and <i>PKC-θ^−/−</i> (bottom panels) mice. Overall CD1d- and CD3-positive NKT cells in thymus were first analyzed (left panels), and the NKT cells were then divided into stage 0 and stage 1–3 based on expression of CD24 (middle panels). Gated Stage 1–3 cells were further analyzed based on CD44 and NK1.1 expression to indicate each of the three stages (right panels). B) Frequency of NKT cells in thymus, stage 0 and stage 1–3 described in A, as averaged from three mice of each genotype. C) Frequency of NKT cells at stages 1, 2 and 3 described in A, as averaged from three mice of each genotype. D) Total NKT cell number in thymus as well as stage 0 and stage 1–3, as averaged from three mice (*, P<0.05; **, P<0.01; ***, P<0.001). E) FACS analysis of PLZF expression in thymic NKT cells. PLZF expression in WT and <i>PKC-θ^−/−</i> NKT cells was analyzed using flow cytometry. F) GeoMean of PLZF expression averaged from 3 independent experiments described in E. G) Lack of PKC-θ does not affect surface CD1d levels on thymocytes. Histogram of CD1d levels of WT (black line) and <i>PKC-θ^−/−</i> (dotted line) thymocytes.