vIL-6tg2 mice deficient for mIL-6 do not display MCD-like phenotypes. (A) Average ratio of spleen to body weight determined from wild-type (n = 7), IL-6–deficient (IL-6KO; n = 6), and vIL-6tg2/IL-6–deficient mice (vIL-6tg2/IL-6KO; n = 6). (B) The averaged sum of inguinal lymph nodes per mouse determined from the same wild-type, IL-6KO, and vIL-6tg2/IL-6KO mice as in Figure 2B. (C) Average serum IgG levels as measured by ELISA from wild-type (n = 7), IL-6KO (n = 7), and vIL-6tg2/IL-6KO mice (n = 8). (D) Determination of vIL-6 serum concentrations of vIL-6tg2 mice with (n = 7) or without (n = 6) MCD and vIL-6tg2/IL-6KO mice (n = 11) by ELISA. (E) The percentage of mice with MCD (filled) or borderline MCD (open) in vIL-6tg2 (n = 25) and vIL-6tg2/IL-6KO (n = 17) mice. Error bars represent SD. *P ≤ .01. All mice were 13 to 20 weeks old.
