Fig. 2.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) promote glioma stem cell (GSC) capacity in glioma cells. a Distribution of CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ Tregs in peripheral blood and tumor samples from glioma patients (n = 50), analyzed the percentage of total lymphocytes using flow cytometry. bCD133, SOX2, NESTIN, ALDH1A, and MUSASHI1 expression in the U251 cells, detected using reverse-transcription PCR, following co-culture with Tregs (1:1; Transwell) sorted from the peripheral blood of the glioma patients. c CD133⁺ proportions of U251 cells, assessed by flow cytometry, following co-culture with Tregs for 24 h in transwell chambers. d U251 cells and Tregs co-cultured under sphere-forming conditions. The number of spheres per field was averaged from five randomly selected fields. Results are based on three independent experiments. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001. NC normal control