The Expression of Inhibitory Receptors and GAL-9 on Lymphocytes of Patients with HCV with Liver Fibrosis
Freshly thawed PBMCs of F0-F2 (n = 15) and F3-F4 (n = 15) chronically infected patients with HCV were stained for surface expression of PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, TIGIT, TIM-3, and GAL-9.
(A) Representative plot of PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, TIGIT, TIM-3, and GAL-9 expression on CD8+ T cells of patients with chronic HCV in fibrosis stages F0-F2 and F3-F4.
(B–E) Cumulative data comparing PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, TIGIT, TIM-3, and GAL-9 expression on CD8 T cells (B), CD4 T cells (C), CD56Bright NK cells (D) and CD56Dim NK cells (E) of patients with chronic HCV in fibrosis stages F0-F2 and F3-F4.
(F) Cumulative data comparing Boolean analysis of the frequency of T and NK cells expressing >3 inhibitory receptors (PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, TIGIT, TIM-3).
(G) Cumulative data comparing Boolean analysis of the frequency of T and NK cells expressing none of the five inhibitory receptors (PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, TIGIT, TIM-3). Data are represented as median with IQR and each point represents an individual. ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01, ∗∗∗p < 0.001, ∗∗∗∗p < 0.0001.