Figure 3. The percentages of circulating Th22, total Th17, IL-22⁺Th17, IL22⁺Th1, or total Th1 cells did not decrease following the combination MTX+ leflunomide LEF therapy in non-responding RA patients (n = 20).

PBMCs were collected from RA patients resistant to treatment at baseline (before treatment, 0 week) and after treatment (12 weeks) with MTX+LEF, and analyzed by flow cytometry for the percentage of different Th subsets, including IFN-γ⁻IL-17⁻IL-22⁺ (Th22), IFN-γ⁻IL-17⁺ (total Th17), IFN-γ⁻IL-17⁺IL-22⁺ (IL-22⁺Th17), IFN-γ⁺IL-17⁻ (total Th1), and IFN-γ⁺IL-17^-IL-22⁺ (IL-22⁺Th1) cells.