Figure 1.

Numbers of CD4⁺CD8⁻CD25⁺ and CD4⁺CD8⁺CD25⁺ T cells were reduced in cecal tonsils of ABX-treated chickens. Chickens were given water containing antibiotics at hatching for 3 weeks, and cecal tonsils were taken. Single cells from cecal tonsils were stained with anti-chicken TCRγδ, CD3, CD4, CD8α, and CD25 antibodies. The cells were pre-gated for CD3⁺γδTCR⁻ cells. Changes in (A) the total number of cells, the percentages of (B) CD4⁺CD8⁻CD25⁺ and (C) CD4⁺CD8⁺CD25⁺ T cells, and the absolute numbers of (D) CD4⁺CD8⁻CD25⁺ and (E) CD4⁺CD8⁺CD25⁺ T cells are shown. (A–E) Data were obtained from six chickens in each group and presented as mean ± SD. Asterisks indicate significant differences between Con and ABX. Data are representative of three independent experiments. ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001.