Figure 1. Tim-3 is over-expressed and IL-12 expression suppressed on CD14⁺ M/M_Ø in chronically HCV-infected individuals.

PBMC from chronically HCV-infected subjects (n = 21) and healthy subjects (n = 12) were stimulated with or without TLR ligands LPS and R848 for 18 h, followed by immunostaining with antibodies against Tim-3, IL-12 and CD14. Tim-3 and IL-12 expressions in un-stimulated and LPS/R848-stimulated CD14⁺ M/M_Ø were examined by flow cytometry. A) Representative flow cytometric dot plots measuring Tim-3 expression and IL-12 production in CD14⁺ M/M_Ø. B) Time-course of Tim-3 expression in primary healthy M/M_Ø. PBMC stimulated with LPS and R848 for the indicated times. Tim-3 expression on CD14⁺ M/M_Ø was assessed by flow cytometry; corresponding changes in % gated and MFI are shown with isotype control. C) Summary data of the percentage of Tim-3⁺ and D) IL-12⁺ cells in CD14⁺ M/M_Ø of healthy subjects and chronically HCV-infected individuals, in naïve and TLR-activated state, are shown. Each symbol represents an individual subject, and the horizontal bars represent median values. The p value (**<0.01; ***<0.001) is denoted above the group of study subjects.