Fig. 2

Adoptive transfer of young but not aged Treg rescues aged retinal neurodegeneration. A Diagram showing the experimental design. B-E Immunostaining and analysis of the effect of Treg adoptive transfer on photoreceptors. Representative images (B) (scale bar = 50 µm) and quantification photoreceptors (C-E). Total photoreceptors (C), CA⁺ cones (D) and CA⁻ rods (E) in the ONL of control, Treg depleted and Treg reconstituted aged retinas. F-J Alterations in bipolar cells after Treg adoptive transfer in aged animals. Representative images (F) (scale bar = 25 µm) and quantification of total rod bipolar cells (H) and rod bipolar cells with a shorter axon and displaced nuclei (I) identified by PKC-α (red) and synaptophysin (cyan) immunostaining (n = 4-6 mice). Representative images (G) (scale bar = 25 µm) and quantification of cone bipolar cells (J) identified by secretagogin immunostaining. K-N Changes in Müller cell gliosis and microglia in aged animals after the adoptive transfer of Treg. Representative image showing microglia (IBA-1⁺, purple) and Müller cell gliosis (GFAP⁺ fibers, green) (K) (Scale bar = 50 µm). Quantification of GFAP⁺ area (L), the number of GFAP⁺ fibers crossing the ONL (M) and total IBA-1⁺ microglia (N) in the aged retina. Data information: B-N, n = 3-7 mice, data presented as mean ± s.e.m. ns: not significant, *P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; 1-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni's multiple comparisons test