Figure 3.

CXCR3A and B are expressed highly in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) patients. Total RNA was extracted from PBLs; the CD3⁺ PB cell subpopulation representing T lymphocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) fraction by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) obtained from PBC patients [pre- and post-ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment] and normal controls (NC) and multiplex reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) for CXCR3A and B and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was performed. (a) Representative PCR blots of mRNA expression from CD3⁺ PBL obtained from PBC patients and NCs, probed for CXCR3A and B and GAPDH as internal control. In order to control for genomic contamination, each sample has a reverse transcriptase negative control (RT–). The gel shows fluorescence of ethidium bromide-stained PCR products resolved by electrophoresis. (b) Mean densitometry readings for PCR product of receptors are expressed as a percentage of receptors mRNA expression observed in PBC patients' samples. Each column represents mean ± standard error of the mean of the different groups.