Peripheral blood mononuclear cell phenotype characteristics in different study groups before antiviral treatment.

<p>The distribution of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets was similar between study groups. Absolute monocyte count was significantly increased in rapid virological responders compared to early and non-responder patients. Results are expressed as mean±SE.</p>*<p>p<0,05.</p

The effect of PEG-IFN plus ribavirin treatment on Th1/Th2 cytokine production by PMA/Ionomycin stimulated PBMC.

<p>a. IFN-γ production was significantly increased in complete early virological responders during antiviral treatment compared to pretreatment levels and also to null-responders. b. After 4 and 12 weeks of antiviral treatment, a transient increase in IL-2 production was observed in all study groups. c. PEG-IFN plus RBV resulted in decreased IL-6 production in both rapid and complete early virological responders, had a transient effect in null-responders. d. After 24 weeks of treatment, significantly decreased TNF-α production was found in complete early virological responders. e. f. While PEG-IFN/RBV treatment significantly decreased IL-4 and IL-10 levels in complete early virological responders, null-responders showed significantly increased IL-10 production at week 12 or 24. (*p<0,05; **p<0,01).</p

Th2 cytokine production by PMA/Ionomycin stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

<p>Prior to therapy, IL-4 and IL-10 production was significantly lower in patients who had subsequent rapid viral decline after 4 weeks of treatment compared to non-SVR group. Baseline Th2 cytokine production did not differ between complete early responders and null-responders (Fig. 4a,b). SVR patients associated with significantly lower baseline IL-10 production compared to non-SVR patients (Fig. 4d).</p

The effect of PEG-IFN plus ribavirin treatment on TNF-α and IL-6 production by TLR-4 stimulated monocytes.

<p>After 12 weeks of PEG-IFN plus RBV treatment, the proinflammatory cytokine production of TLR-4 stimulated monocytes was significantly increased in complete early virological responders compared to null-responder patients. Furthermore, proinflammatory cytokine levels showed no changes and remained low in null-responders throughout antiviral therapy. In contrast to cEVR in RVR patients, proinflammatory cytokine production by monocytes was significantly decreased after 4 weeks of treatment (*p<0,05; **p<0,01 compared to baseline values).</p

Pretreatment proinflammatory cytokine production by Toll-like receptor 4 stimulated monocytes.

<p>Prior to antiviral treatment, TLR-4 agonist induced TNF-α and IL-6 production by peripheral blood monocytes was significantly higher in later rapid virological responder CHC patients (RVR n = 14) compared to complete early virological responders (cEVR n = 19), null-responders (NR n = 17) or healthy controls (HC n = 20) (Fig. 1a,b). Baseline TLR-4 agonist induced proinflammatory cytokine production was similar in cEVR and NR groups. Sustained virological responders (SVR) had significantly higher baseline TNF-α production compared to patients without SVR (non-SVR).</p

Patients’ baseline characteristics.

<p>Baseline HCV RNA levels were significantly lower in rapid virological responders (RVR) compared to complete early virological responders (cEVR) and null-responders (NR). Pretreatment histology and ALT did not differ significantly between study groups. Results are expressed as mean±SE (*p<0,05; **p<0,01).</p><p>(SVR = sustained virological response, BMI = body mass index, HAI = Knodell histological activity index, ALT = alanine amino transferase).</p

Gal-9 expression by peripheral lymphocytes in women with early-onset preeclampsia and in healthy pregnant women.

<div><p>The expression of Galectin-9 by cytotoxic T cells, NK cells, and regulatory T cells in the peripheral blood of women with early-onset preeclampsia and in healthy pregnant women. The solid bars represent medians of 9 and 11 determinations, respectively, the boxes indicate the interquartile ranges and the lines show the most extreme observations. Differences were considered statistically significant for P-values ≤0.05.</p> <p>NS = not statistically significant.</p></div

TIM-3 expression by peripheral lymphocytes in women with early-onset preeclampsia and in healthy pregnant women.

<div><p>The expression of TIM-3 by cytotoxic T cells, NK cells, CD56^dim NK cells and CD56^bright NK cells in the peripheral blood of women with early-onset preeclampsia and in healthy pregnant women. The solid bars represent medians of 10 and 11 determinations, respectively, the boxes indicate the interquartile ranges and the lines show the most extreme observations. Differences were considered statistically significant for P-values ≤0.05.</p> <p>NS = not statistically significant.</p></div

Cytotoxicity of peripheral cytotoxic T and NK cells in women with early-onset preeclampsia and in healthy pregnant women.

<div><p>The expression of CD107a by TIM-3 positive or negative cytotoxic T cells and NK cells in the peripheral blood of women with early-onset preeclampsia and in healthy pregnant women. The solid bars represent medians of 10 and 10 determinations, respectively; the boxes indicate the interquartile ranges and the lines show the most extreme observations. Differences were considered statistically significant for P-values ≤0.05.</p> <p>NS = not statistically significant.</p></div