Figure 3

Splenic B and T lymphocyte numbers are greater in naive EE-caged mice than naive controls and negatively associated with corticosterone concentration. (A) Naive (PBS-injected) EE mice exhibited a nonsignificant trend toward a greater number of splenocytes than naive controls (p = 0.0588). (B-D) The absolute number of splenic CD19⁺, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells was greater in naive EE mice than naive controls (CD19⁺, p = 0.0003; CD4⁺, p = 0.0321; CD8⁺, p = 0.0605). (E–G) Negative relationships were observed between the absolute number of splenic CD19⁺, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells and serum corticosterone concentration (CD19⁺, r² = 0.43, p = 0.0017; CD4⁺, r² = 0.28, p = 0.0154; CD8⁺, r² = 0.20, p = 0.0503). (H–J) Similarly, the proportion (% of total splenocytes) of CD19⁺, CD4⁺, and CD8⁺ cells exhibited a significant negative relationship with serum corticosterone concentration (CD19⁺, r² = 0.61, p < 0.0001; CD4⁺, r² = 0.39, p = 0.0034; CD8⁺, r² = 0.20, p = 0.0492). Data are mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001.