Figure 1. Increased numbers of GARP and CTLA-4 expressing Tregs in HCC patients.

Flow cytometric analysis was performed on PBMCs from HCC patients (n=23) and healthy controls (n=20). (A, B) Representative staining from an individual HCC patient and normal healthy donor for the frequency of CD3⁺CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ T cells. (C) Frequency and (D) absolute number of cells/ml of CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ Tregs in peripheral blood of HCC patients and normal healthy subjects. (E, F) Representative staining of GARP on CD3⁺CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ T cells. (G) Frequency of GARP⁺ Tregs and (H) GARP expression levels measured by mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) on Tregs. (I, J) Representative staining of CTLA-4 on CD3⁺CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ T cells. (K) Frequency of CTLA-4⁺ Tregs and (L) CTLA-4 expression levels. Each symbol represents an individual HCC patient () or normal healthy subjects (); lines represent median values for the group. * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test; † P < 0.05 Hochberg adjustment for multiple comparison.