Figure 4. Administration of dexamethasone is positively associated with increased baseline MDSC levels and inversely associated with H3.3K27M-reactive CD8⁺ T cell responses and survival.

(A) Box plot demonstrates the abundance of circulatory MDSCs at baseline among patients with DIPG treated with dexamethasone (n = 6) for at least 3 days prior to treatment relative to patients who did not receive dexamethasone (n = 13). (B) Waterfall plot depicts the overall longitudinal percentage change of H3.3K27M-reactive CD8⁺ T cells at the final time point analyzed relative to baseline for each patient with DIPG who was treated with dexamethasone. Yellow bars indicate the pre-treatment period; red bars indicate patients who received dexamethasone after commencement of vaccination; and blue bars indicate patients who did not receive dexamethasone while in the study. (C and D) Kaplan-Meier survival curves contrasting the (C) OS and (D) PFS of patients with DIPG based on pretreatment dexamethasone administration, as determined by log-rank tests.