Fig. 2

RORγt agonists enhance Type 17 T cell differentiation and cytokine production. a and b The dose–response curve of the stimulation of mouse Th17 cells using LYC-55716 or 8-074 concentrations ranging from 0 to 160 nM. The IL-17A concentration was determined using ELISA. c Representative flow graph. RORγt agonists increased the percentage of CD4⁺ IL-17A⁺ (Th17, upper) and CD8⁺ IL-17A⁺ (Tc17, bottom) cells. The extent of Th17 and Tc17 cell differentiation was then assessed using intracellular staining. d Statistical results of c (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001). e and f qPCR analysis of the Th17 signature cytokines expression of the Th17 cells after LYC-55716 or 8-074 treatment, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.000. g IL-17A levels in 8-074 treated Type 17 T cells. The IL-17A levels were assayed by ELISA (***P < 0.001). h The percentages of the Type 17 T cells in the CD3⁺ T cells were detected by flow cytometry. The human total CD3⁺ T were differentiated under Th17 polarization conditions for five days. (***P < 0.001). i The cytotoxic activity of the 8-074-treated Tc17 cells differentiated from the OT-I T cells against OVA-pulsed EL-4 lymphoma cells in vitro. (*P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001). j Representative flow graph of Th1 cell in CD4⁺ T. k mRNA expression of the Cd86 levels of B cells as determined by a qPCR assay. *** P < 0.001. l mRNA expression of the Arg1 levels of macrophages as determined by a qPCR assay. *P < 0.05. The Student’s test was used for the statistical test. All error bars represent mean ± SD. Experiments were repeated three times with consistent results