Fig. 2

Flow cytometry analysis of the numbers of different phenotypes of peripheral blood Foxp3⁺ T cells. The peripheral blood and hydrothorax mononuclear cells were stained with anti-CD4 and anti-CD25, fixed and permeabilized, followed by staining with anti-Foxp3. The cells were first gated on living lymphocytes and then on CD4⁺ cells, and the numbers of blood CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ and CD4⁺CD25⁻Foxp3⁺ T cells were characterized by flow cytometry analysis. Data shown are representative charts and expressed as the means of individual subjects. a Representative charts; b the numbers of CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ T cells; c the numbers of CD4⁺CD25⁻Foxp3⁺ T cells. The horizontal lines show the median values of individual groups. TB tuberculous patients, CA malignant patients.