The percentage of Tregs is increased in patients with AECOPD, and the percentages of Th10 and CD4⁺α7⁺ T cells are decreased in both patients with SCOPD and patients with AECOPD.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Representative flow cytometric dot-plots of Tregs, Th10 and CD4⁺α7⁺ T cells (<i>Tregs: CD3⁺CD8⁻CD25⁺FOXP3⁺ T cells, Th10: CD3⁺CD8⁻IL-10⁺T cells, and CD4⁺α7⁺ T: CD3⁺CD8⁻α7⁺ T cells</i>) in healthy nonsmokers, patients with SCOPD and patients with AECOPD are shown. (<b>B</b>) Comparisons of the percentages of Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells in healthy nonsmokers, patients with SCOPD and patients with AECOPD <i>(n = 14, 24, and 14, respectively</i>) are shown. Horizontal bars indicate the mean value. The comparisons were made using a Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA on ranks.