Fig. 2.

Anti-TNF treatment increases frequency of circulating T helper (Th)17 cells. Change in numbers of IL17-producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells during anti-TNF treatment determined by IL17 enzyme-linked immunospot (Elispot) assay (a) and representative IL17 Elispot experimental wells (b). PBMC (n = 200,000) were seeded in triplicate in each experiment and stimulated with 1 mg/ml anti-CD3 antibody for 20 hours and the numbers of cytokine-producing cells were enumerated. Change in the frequency of circulating CD4 + IL17+ cells in the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) determined by flow cytometry (c) and representative dot plots (d). Bars represent median and interquartile range; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 versus baseline visit (Wilcoxon matched pairs test). spSFC/10 ⁶, specific spot-forming cells per million PBMC