Distribution of T_naïve, T_CM, T_EM subpopulations and IL-17⁺/T_naïve, IL-17⁺/T_EM and IL-17⁺/T_CM, subpopulations of CD4⁺T lymphocytes at 1 and 3 month after transplantation compared to before transplantation.

<p>PBMC from patients before KT, patients at 1month after KT and patients at 3 month after KT were stimulated for 4 h ex vivo with PMA and ionomycin in the presence of GolgiStop.CD4⁺ lymphocytes were stained with mAbs to CD45RA and CCR7, which identified three subsets. In addition, analysis of IL-17 in CD4⁺ T cell subsets by intracellular flow cytometry was done. After surface staining with CD45 and CCR7 mAbs, cells were fixated and permeabilized and intracellular accumulated cytokines were detected with IL-17 mAbs. (A) T_naïve/CD4⁺T (CD45RA<i>⁺</i>CCR7⁺/CD4⁺Tcells), (B) IL-17⁺/T_naïve, (C) T_CM/CD4⁺ T (CD45RA⁻CCR7⁺/CD4⁺Tcells), (D) IL-17⁺/T_CM⁺, (E) T_EM/CD4⁺T (CD45RA⁻CCR7⁻/CD4⁺Tcells), (F) IL-17⁺/T_EM⁺. Bars show the means. * <i>P</i><0.05 vs. PreKT, ** <i>P</i><0.01 vs. PreKT PreKT, before kidney transplantation; m, month.