Fig. 1.

Phenotype of CD8⁺ T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APC) in different tissues from patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis. (a) Expression of exhaustion markers programmed death 1 (PD-1) and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein-3 (Tim-3) on CD8⁺ T cells from spleen, liver and peripheral blood, and interferon (IFN)-γ production from CD8⁺ T cells upon CD3 and CD28 stimulation. The frequency of dual PD-1⁺ and Tim-3⁺ (i.e. exhausted) T cells in the spleen and the liver are significantly higher compared to the peripheral blood, while the IFN-γ production from CD8⁺ T cells in the spleen and the liver are decreased. *P < 0·01 and **P < 0·05. (b) Expression of the PD-L1, PD-L2 and galectin-9 ligands on CD14⁺ monocytes from different organs. The frequency of PD-L1⁺, PD-L2⁺ and galectin-9⁺ cells in the spleen and the liver is higher compared to the peripheral blood. (c) Expression of the PD-L1, PD-L2 and galectin-9 ligands on CD11c⁺ dendritic cells from different organs. The frequency of PD-L1⁺, PD-L2⁺ and galectin-9⁺ cells in the spleen and the liver is higher compared to the peripheral blood. *P < 0·01 and **P < 0·05.