Fig. 5. α1-AR agonist suppresses Th17 cell and enhances Treg cell differentiation and function in T cells of mice with CIA and these agonist effects are abolished by PLC inhibitor. The activated T cells in the presence or absence of phenylephrine plus U73122 for 72 h were labeled with anti-CD4, anti-CD25 and anti-IL-17 or anti-Foxp3 fluorescence antibodies. The CD4⁺ cells were firstly selected, and then percentage of Th17 (CD25⁻IL-17⁺) and Treg (CD25⁺Foxp3⁺) cells in CD4⁺ T cells was analyzed (A). Levels of ROR-γt and Foxp3 protein expression (B) and IL-17, IL-22, TGF-β and IL-10 mRNA expression (C) in T cells were tested. (D) IL-17, IL-22, TGF-β1 and IL-10 level in the supernatants of T cell cultures was determined. Phen=phenylephrine; ^**p<0.01, versus intact control; ⁺p<0.05, ⁺⁺p<0.01, versus CIA group; ^#p<0.05, ^##p<0.01, versus CIA + Phen (10^-5 M) group.