Figure 5.

CD16⁺ monocytes promoted T-cell-mediated cytokine secretion in SLE. CD16⁺ or CD16⁻ monocytes were cocultured with CD4⁺ T cells isolated from freshly collected SLE blood or blood bank collected HC blood buffy coat for 5 days in the presence of anti-CD3 (1 μg/mL) and anti-CD28 (1 μg/mL) antibodies and M-CSF (50 ng/mL). The concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-17A in the supernatants were measured by ELISA. IFN-γ (A) and Th17A (B) levels were compared between different groups in HCs and patients with SLE. Data were expressed as mean ± SD and analyzed by non-parametric paired t test and Mann–Whitney U test. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01; NS, no significance.