Fig. 3.

Reduction in the expression of immunosuppressive molecules after IL-2 therapy in vivo. a Schematic representation of the study flow second clinical trial. b–l Data obtained from the PBMCs of NR (α-2b) patients (n = 23) were quantified at week 72 (72 w; 48 weeks of IFN-α-2b therapy and 24 weeks of follow-up) from the start of therapy, and after 12 (+12 w) and 24 weeks (+24 w) of sequential IL-2 therapy. b Gating strategy for Tregs within PBMC samples. c, d Representative density plots (c) and pooled data (d) showing the percentage of Tregs within the PBMCs during IL-2 therapy. Representative density plots (e) and quantification (f) showing sequential Tim-3 expression on NK cells (e, f, left), and sequential PD-1 expression on CD8⁺ T cells (e, f, right), during IL-2 therapy. FACS analysis of the sequential proportion of CD25⁺CD4⁺ T cells (g, h, left) and the proportion of CD122⁺CD4⁺ T cells (g, h, right) during IL-2 therapy. FACS analysis of the sequential proportion of CD25⁺CD8⁺ T cells (i, j, left) and the proportion of CD122⁺CD8⁺ T cells (i, j, right) after IL-2 therapy. FACS analysis of the sequential proportion of CD25⁺NK cells (k, l, left) and the proportion of CD122⁺ NK cells (k, l, right) during IL-2 therapy. Data are analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test (d, f, h, j, l); *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; ****P < 0.0001. Data are presented as mean ± SD