Figure 3
Inhibition of CII-specific proliferative response and induction of antiergotypic immune response by ergotope peptide treatment. (A) Mice from the CIA, C-P treated, P5-6 treated and P14-16 treated every-other-day groups were euthanized at the peak of disease. Splenic mononuclear cells were isolated and cultured at the density of 5 × 105/well with stimulation of CII antigen (20 µg/mL) in vitro. H3-TdR (1 µCi/well) was added at 48 h and cell proliferation was assessed at 72 h. The stimulation index is displayed normalized to the unstimulated controls. (B) CD4 + T cells were isolated from the spleens of mice in four groups treated with CII-specific T cells (TCV), C-P, P5-6 and P14-16 at a final concentration of 10 µg/mL in the presence of APC. ELISPOT assay was used to enumerate IL-10-producing cells. Data are represented as mean ± SD. *: P < 0.05 versus C-P group.