Changes in circulating Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and interleukin-17-producing T helper cells during HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

Figure 1 Expression of interleukin-17-producing T helper cell and Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cell-related genes in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure at the onset point. Compared with healthy controls (HCs), all interleukin-17-producing T helper cell (Th17)-related cytokines were up-regulated, but only IL-1β was up-regulated significantly. Compared with general chronic hepatitis B (CHB), there were no significant differences in Th17-related cytokine gene expression at the onset of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACHBLF). For Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cell (Treg)-related gene expression, IL-2 expression was significantly up-regulated compared with both CHB patients and HCs. Data are presented as whisker-box plots, and the difference between ACHBLF and the HC or CHB groups was analyzed by a Mann-Whitney test. Boxes represent the interquartile range, with the median represented by the line inside the box. Upper whisker, the highest value less than or equal to the 75 percentile plus 1.5 times interquartile range; lower whisker, the lowest value greater than or equal to the 25 percentile minus 1.5 times interquartile range. Outliers were excluded. ^bP < 0.01 vs ACHBLF group.