Figure 2.

Surface expression (median fluorescence intensity [MFI]) of integrin chains on T-cells and eosinophils in asthma patients with persistent vs. non-persistent airflow limitation and controls. (a,b) Patients with persistent airflow limitation showed lower expression of α₄ and β₁ on both blood T-cell subsets, decreased β₁ on both BAL T-cell subsets, and increased α₁ on BAL CD4⁺ T-cells but only compared to controls. They also had lower α₄ on both BAL T-cell subsets comparing the non-persistent airflow limitation group (blue arrows in the diagram on the right). (c) Blood eosinophils of persistent airflow limitation patients had lower α₄ and β₁ than controls and no difference compared to the non-persistent airflow limitation subgroup. Data are presented as medians and range (T-cells: blood n = 108, BAL n = 101; eosinophils: blood n = 103, BAL n = 35; β₁ was measured in 78% of samples). Statistics: ANCOVA with adjustment for age, sex, and BMI: * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01.