Fig 2.

T_H17 cells upregulation in HCV-infected individuals is associated with Tim-3 expression and differential regulation of IL-23/IL-12 production by monocytes. PBMCs from HCV-infected individuals and HS were stimulated with PMA/ionomycin for 6 h, stained with CD4 and IL-17A, followed by flow cytometric analysis. (A) Representative dot plots of IL-17A expression in CD4⁺ T cells. Summary data of percentages of the positive cell frequency and the mean MFI values + the SD of for IL-17A expression in CD4⁺ cells from HCV versus HS are shown. **, P < 0.01 (as determined by Student t test). (B) IL-17⁺ expression by CD4⁺ cells positively correlates to Tim-3 expression on CD14⁺ cells (*, P < 0.05. (C) IL-17⁺ expression by CD4⁺ cells positively correlates with the ratio of IL-23/IL-12 produced by CD14⁺ cells (*, P < 0.05).