Table 2.
Effect of sex, oral contraception (OC), and cycle phase on T cell parameters (reanalysis, OL removed)
| Model 1a | Model 2b | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parameter | Female sex | OC use | OC use | Cycle phase |
OC × Cycle interaction |
| T cells | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD4+ (%CD3+) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD8+ (%CD3+) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD8−CD4- (%CD3+) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD8+CD4+ (%CD3+) | ↑P = 0.009 | ↑P = 0.006 | ↑P = 0.012 | NS | NS |
| Treg cells | |||||
| CD4+CD25+FOXP3+CD127-(%CD4+) (Treg cells) | ↓P = 0.019 | NS | NS | NS | P = 0.065 |
| Ki67+ (%Treg) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| FOXP3 MFI | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| Helios+ (%Treg) | NS | ↓P = 0.024 | ↓P = 0.055 | NS | NS |
| Helios MFI | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CTLA4+ (%Treg) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CTLA4 MFI | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| HLADRhiCD45RA− (%Treg) | NS | ↓P = 0.021 | ↓P = 0.035 | NS | NS |
| HLADRloCD45RA− (%Treg) | NS | ↓P = 0.029 | ↓P = 0.052 | NS | NS |
| HLADR- CD45RA− (%Treg) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| HLADR-CD45RA+ (%Treg) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD45RA+CCR7+ (%Treg) (naïve) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD45RA-CCR7+ (%Treg) (CM) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD45RA−CCR7− (%Treg) (EM) | ↓P = 0.035 | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD45RA+CCR7− (%Treg) (EMRA) | NS | ↑P = 0.015 | ↑P = 0.033 | NS | NS |
| CD4+.T cells | |||||
| Ratio Treg:CD4+ | ↓P = 0.074 | NS | NS | P = 0.055 | P = 0.031 |
| Ki67+ (%CD4+) | ↓P = 0.097 | ↓P = 0.021 | ↓P = 0.032 | NS | NS |
| Tbet+ (%CD4+) (Th1 cells) | ↑P = 0.011 | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| ratio Treg:Tbet+CD4+ | ↓P = 0.026 | NS | NS | P = 0.062 | NS |
| RORγt+ (%CD4+) (Th17 cells) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| Ratio Treg:RORγt+CD4+ | NS | NS | NS | P = 0.017 | NS |
| CD45RA+CCR7+(%CD4+) (naïve) | NS | NS | NS | P = 0.017 | P = 0.083 |
| CD45RA−CCR7+ (%CD4+) (CM) | NS | NS | NS | NS | P = 0.000 |
| CD45RA−CCR7-(%CD4+) (EM) | NS | NS | NS | P = 0.063 | NS |
| CD45RA+CCR7− (%CD4+) (EMRA) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD8+ T cells | |||||
| Ratio Treg:CD8+ | ↓P = 0.096 | NS | NS | NS | P = 0.080 |
| Ki67+ (%CD8+) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| Tbet+ (%CD8+) | ↑↑P = 0.005 | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| Ratio Treg:Tbet+ CD8+ | ↓↓P = 0.000 | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| RORγt+ (%CD8+) | ↑ (P = 0.090) | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| Ratio Treg:RORγt+CD8+ | ↓↓P = 0.000 | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD45RA+CCR7+ (%CD8+) (naïve) | ↑P = 0.033 | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD45RA−CCR7+ (%CD8+) (CM) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD45RA−CCR7− (%CD8+) (EM) | ↓P = 0.005 | NS | NS | NS | NS |
| CD45RA+ CCR7− (%CD8+) (EMRA) | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
Data were analyzed by linear mixed model analysis for all participants (Model 1, to determine effect of sex) or for women (Model 2, to determine effect of OC, cycle phase, and the interaction between OC and cycle phase).
Abbreviations: CM, central memory T cells; EM, effector memory T cells; EMRA, CD45RA+ effector memory T cells; naïve, naïve T cells; Treg cells, regulatory T cells.
aModel 1: male and female participants, 3 groups, effects of sex and group.
bModel 2: female participants, 6 groups, effects of OC and cycle phase.