. 2013 Apr 21;62(6):1123–1130. doi: 10.1007/s00262-013-1424-8

Table 6.

Plasma levels of cytokines in metastatic breast cancer patients with different lymphocyte subset status

Cytokines	Subgroup	CD8⁺CD28⁻ lymphocyte subset			CD4⁺CD25⁺ lymphocyte subset
Cytokines	Subgroup	N	pg/ml	P value	N	pg/ml	P value
IL-2	Normal	36	27.55 ± 16.42		46	27.55 ± 16.42
IL-2	Increased	53	12.57 ± 8.60	0.425	43	5.05 ± 0.84	0.186
IFN-γ	Normal	36	71.43 ± 19.26		46	71.43 ± 19.26
IFN-γ	Increased	53	14.50 ± 1.85	0.008	43	29.71 ± 12.10	0.077
IL-10	Normal	36	28.19 ± 7.08		46	28.19 ± 7.08
IL-10	Increased	53	43.04 ± 18.15	0.516	43	42.87 ± 24.26	0.557
IL-6	Normal	36	2.12 ± 0.45		46	2.12 ± 0.45
IL-6	Increased	53	5.95 ± 1.20	0.005	43	11.13 ± 3.88	0.031
IL-4	Normal	36	5.61 ± 0.82		46	5.61 ± 0.82
IL-4	Increased	53	12.87 ± 8.30	0.464	43	14.26 ± 11.13	0.432
TGF-β 1	Normal	36	29.42 ± 14.62		46	29.42 ± 14.62
TGF-β 1	Increased	53	16.21 ± 4.15	0.326	43	29.27 ± 8.94	0.993

Data were presented as mean values ± standard deviation

IL interleukin, TGF transforming growth factor, IFN, interferon

Normal: patients within normal percentage of lymphocyte subsets. Increased: patients with increased percentage of lymphocyte subsets. The group with an increased CD8⁺CD28⁻ lymphocyte subset contained ≥24.0 % CD8⁺CD28⁻ cells, whereas the normal group CD8⁺CD28⁻ lymphocyte subset was set as <24.0 %. The increased group of CD4⁺CD25⁺ percentage was ≥10 %, and the normal CD4⁺CD25⁺ group was set as <10 %