Fig. 2

The effect of gemcitabine on regulatory T cells (Tregs). Ten pancreatic cancer patients were sampled during the first cycle of gemcitabine treatment, where gemcitabine was given once weekly for 3 weeks, followed by a resting period. Blood samples were collected at day 1, 8, 15 and 29 always before gemcitabine was given that day. Patient and healthy control (HC) samples were stained for tregs, which were defined as CD3⁺CD4⁺CD127⁻FoxP3⁺. Samples were analyzed by flow cytometry. Statistical differences between HCs and patients or between sample days were assessed by unpaired t-test with Welch’s correction or Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test, respectively (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001)