Fig. 3

Trex1-deficient rats exhibit insulitis and infiltration of immune cells. A Representative H&E staining images of pancreatic sections from WT and Trex1^−/− rats at 8-week-old and 24-week-old. Yellow circles indicate islets. Scale bar, 100 μm. B Insulitis scoring was assessed on H&E-stained pancreatic sections from WT (n = 4) or Trex1^−/− (n = 4) rats at 8 or 24 weeks of age. 20–30 islets in each of the rats were analyzed. C Representative fluorescence images of pancreatic sections from WT or Trex1^−/− rats co-staining by insulin (green) and CD8 (red) antibodies. The cell nuclei were stained with Hoechst (blue). Scale bar, 20 μm. D Numbers of CD8⁺ cells in each islet from WT (n = 5) or Trex1^−/− (n = 5) rats were quantified. 20 islets in each of the rats were analyzed. E Representative fluorescence images of pancreatic sections from WT or Trex1^−/− rats co-stained by insulin (green) and CD68 (red) antibodies. The cell nuclei were stained with Hoechst (blue). Scale bar, 20 μm. F Numbers of CD68⁺ cells in each islet from WT (n = 5) or Trex1^−/− (n = 5) rats were quantified. 20 islets in each of the rats were analyzed. G The mRNA levels of indicated genes were analyzed by qPCR in pancreas from WT (n = 6) or Trex1^−/− (n = 8) rats. Normalized by the housekeeping gene Gapdh. All data are represented as mean ± SEM; Each column represents one rat in B; Each dot represents one islet in D, F or independent biological replicate in G; Mann Whitney test in D, F and (G Tnf); Welch’s t test in (G Il1b, Ifng, Cxcl9, Cxcl10)