Figure 4. In treatment-naive patients, no difference in NK cell marker expression is detectable between responders and nonresponders.

Comparison of NK cell markers of PBMCs from patients with CIDP before IVIg treatment that were subsequently classified as responders (n = 11) or nonresponders (n = 6) depending on the treatment efficacy of IVIg. Depicted is mean ± SEM. (A) Changes of frequencies of NK cells, CD56^bright and CD56^dim NK cell subpopulations, and CD161⁺ and NKG2A⁺ populations in patients with CIDP. In addition, mean fluorescence intensity was analyzed of surface protein expression levels of CD161 and CD335. (B) Longitudinal changes in transcriptions levels of the indicated genes after real-time qPCR analysis was performed on mRNA preparations of PBMCs. CIDP = chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy; IVIg = IV immunoglobulin; NK = natural killer; mRNA = messenger RNA; PBMC = peripheral blood mononuclear cell.