IL-21R KO T cells have decreased intestinal infiltration and LPAM expression after BMT. (A) Lethally irradiated BALB/c mice were transplanted with B6 BM-TCD and WT or IL-21R KO T cells (1 × 106). Skin, liver, small intestine (S.I.) and large intestine (L.I.) were harvested 3 weeks after BMT. H&E-stained slides were scored for histopathologic damage and lymphocyte infiltration. Shown is the mean of each group from 2 combined independent experiments (n > 12). (B) Lethally irradiated BALB/c mice were transplanted with B6 BM-TCD and WT B6 T cells (1 × 106). Lamina propria lymphocytes from small and large intestines were isolated 1 week after BMT and stained for IL-21R expression on donor T cells. Shown are combined data from 2 independent experiments with 7 total recipients per group. (C) Lethally irradiated LP mice were transplanted with B6 BM-TCD and WT or IL-21R KO B6 T cells (1 × 106). Liver, small intestine, and large intestine were harvested 3 weeks after BMT, and H&E-stained slides were scored for histopathologic damage. Shown are combined data from 2 independent experiments with 17 total recipients per group. (D) Lethally irradiated BALB/c mice were transplanted with B6 BM-TCD and WT or IL-21R KO T cells (1 × 106). Splenocytes were harvested 1 week after BMT and stained for FACS analysis of donor T-cell CD103, CCR9, and LPAM. Shown are combined data from 4 to 5 independent experiments with 20-25 total recipients per group. *P < .05 and ***P < .001 for WT versus KO T cells (A,C,D) or WT T cells in small versus large intestine (B).
