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. 2023 Mar 27;14:1710. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-37419-7

Fig. 6. Butyrate triggers IL-18 production in hepatocytes / Kupffer cells to improve functional maturation of LrNK cells.

Fig. 6

a RT-qPCR analysis of indicated cytokines/chemokines expression level in liver tissues from control or early-Abx mice (n = 8 per group). b ELISA assay for IL-18 levels in livers and small intestines of control (n = 6 per group) and early-Abx (n = 5 per group) mice. c, d Representative FACS plots and bar graph for the expression (MFI) of maturation markers or effector molecules in LrNK cells from control or early-Abx mice with or without recombinant IL-18 treatment (n = 6 per group). e, f Representative FACS plots and bar graph for the expression (MFI) of KLRG1, IFN-γ and TNF-α or perforin in LrNK cells co-cultured with hepatocytes or Kupffer cells in the presence of butyrate and/or anti-IL-18 (n = 6 per group). Dots represent data from individual mice, and error bars represent SEM per group in one experiment. Statistical analysis was performed by two-tailed Student’s t-test (a, b) or one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test (cf). **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; ****P < 0.0001; ns, no significance. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.