Figure 2.

In vivo immunomodulation by administration of CD40 siRNA. a) and b): CII-specific T cell responses by CD40 siRNA. DBA mice (seven mice per group) were injected with 50 μg of CD40 siRNA or control siRNA using hydrodynamic injection method. Two days after siRNA treatment, mice were immunized with 200 μg CII antigen. T cells from lymph nodes (A) and spleens (B) were isolated from the mice treated with CD40 siRNA or control siRNA. The antigen-specific T cells responses were assessed in the presence of CII. T cell proliferation was determined by 3H-incorporation assay, as described in the Materials and Methods. c), d) and e): The differentiation by CD40 siRNA. The supernatants from above cultures were harvested. The cytokines of IL-2 (C), INF-γ (D) and IL-4 (E) produced by T cells in the CII-specific response were detected by ELISA, as described in Materials and methods. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. Results represent one of three experiments. * = P < 0.05 versus control siRNA.