Figure 1

APCs regulate Th cell differentiation and Th cell network homeostasis in both men and women, and this effect appears to be exerted through IFNγ production in men, but through IL6 production in women. No significant relationships were observed in either the 24 h (early regulation) or 72 h (late regulation) cultures in resting conditions (b-cytokines) in men. In women, relationships were found between production of IL2-IL4 and IFNγ-IL6 Th1/Th2 cytokines in resting conditions (b-cytokines). The IL2 and IL4 inter-regulation in women was significant in both the 24 h and 72 h culture supernatant cytokine assays, while the inter-regulation between IL6 and IFNγ levels is only significant in the 72 h assay. Significant relationships emerged in cell cytokine production in activated (+PHA ) conditions in both, men and women. In the 24 h (early regulation) PHA culture: positive linked production between IL6 and IL4, and IFNγ and IL10 cytokines (p-cytokines) were found in men, and negative linked production between IL6 and IL10 cytokines (p-cytokines) were found in women. In the 72 h (late regulation) PHA culture: positive linked production between IFNγ and IL4 were found in men, while positive linked production between IFNγ and IL6 were found in women (p-cytokines).