Deletion of Blimp-1 in DCs and phenotype of DCBlimp-1^ko mice. (A) Expression of Blimp-1 in DCs and plasma cells by Western blotting. Cell lysates from 5 × 10⁵ BM-DCs, splenic DCs, and plasma cells of control mice were loaded (top). DCs from spleens of control and DCBlimp-1^ko mice were used. The level of Blimp-1 was compared in splenic DCs from control (CRE⁻) and Blimp-1^ko (CRE⁺) female and male mice. Representative data from three independent experiments are shown. (B) Anti-dsDNA IgG in serum of control and DCBlimp-1^ko mice by ELISA. Mean ± SD of three independent experiments is shown. n = 8. The bottom shows representative pictures of ANA. (C) Isotype-specific anti-dsDNA ELISA. Mean ± SD of three independent experiments is shown. n = 7. (D) 24-h urine samples were collected from 8–10-mo-old control and DCBlimp-1^ko mice and protein was measured. IgG deposition and histology of kidneys from 8-mo-old control and DCBlimp-1^ko mice. Pictures are representative of each strain. Bars: (IgG) 20 µm; (histology) 40 µm. Horizontal bars indicate mean. (E) Anti-dsDNA and anti-ENA5 IgG in serum from 6–8-mo-old control and DCBlimp-1^ko female and male mice by ELISA. Mean ± SD of three independent experiments is shown. n > 10.