Fig. 3.

T-cells isolated from atherosclerotic lesions produce the proinflammatory cytokine IFNγ. IFNγ, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, and TGFβ production in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cells were determined in (A) EL (n = 7) and (B) LL (n = 8) donors by intracellular cytokine analysis after unspecific stimulation with PMA ionomycin. IFNγ-, IL-4-(^∗∗p < 0.01), and IL-17-producing CD4⁺ T-cells were predominantly present as compared with the cytokine profile of CD8⁺ T-cells in EL (^∗p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in the cytokine production profile within LL T-cells. However, a significant increase in the frequency of IFNγ-producing CD8 was observed in LL T-cells as compared with EL T-cells (^∗p < 0.05). Bars indicate the percentage (mean ± SEM) of positive cytokine-producing cells by four-color cytometry. These experiments were performed once for each donor.