Figure 1. CXCR5⁺Th17 cells, but not other T helper subsets, are increased in RA.

PBMC from healthy controls and RA subjects on stable therapy (DMARDs or anti-TNF therapy) for 6 months or longer, as described in Table 1, were analyzed by flow cytometry. (a) TfH cells assessed as proportion CXCR5⁺ cells out of CD4⁺CD45RO⁺ cells in; (b) Th17 cells assessed as proportion of CCR6⁺ cells out of CD4⁺CD45RO⁺ cells; (c) Th1 cells assessed as proportion of CXCR3⁺ cells out of CD4⁺CD45RO⁺ cells; (d) CXCR5⁺Th1 cells assessed as proportion of CXCR5⁺ cells that co-express CXCR3; (e) CXCR5⁺Th17 cells assessed as proportion of CXCR5⁺ cells that co-express CCR6; (f) representative FACS plots for regulatory T cells as assessed by Foxp3 and chemokine receptor expression gated on CD4⁺ T cells in healthy controls (n = 5); (g) Proportion of CCR6⁺CXCR5⁺ cells as percentage of CD4⁺CD45RO⁺ cells from healthy controls and RA subjects; (h) CXCR5⁺Th17 cells assessed as proportion of CXCR5⁺ cells that co-express CCR6 in healthy controls and RA subjects split according to therapy received. For each graph, each dot represents a unique individual in the study, n for groups indicated in Table 1.