Figure 3.

The rs61839660 minor allele enhances transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines following exogenous IL-2 and acute TCR stimulation of CD4⁺ effector T cells. CD4⁺ effector T cells [T_eff] from heterozygous [CT] and major allele homozygous [CC] patients were treated with different doses of recombinant human IL-2 for 24 h before being stimulated for 6 h [still in the presence of IL-2] with different concentrations of plate-bound αCD3/CD28. [a] Relative expression of IFNG in T_eff from the two genotypes investigated after the specified stimulations. [b] Relative expression of IFNG after 24 h of incubation with different concentrations of IL-2 in absence of TCR stimulation. [c] Relative expression of TNF in T_eff from the two genotypes investigated after the specified stimulations. [d] Relative expression of TNF after 24 h of stimulation with different concentrations of IL-2 in absence of TCR stimulation; n = 3 individual Crohn’s disease patients per genotype. Results shown are the summary from three independent experiments using n = 1 of each genotype per experimental run. Connected points are comparative samples from the same experimental conditions, run in the same experiment. Relative expression values are normalised to GAPDH. TCR, T cell receptor.