Fig. 6

Bilirubin reshapes the immune system in the peripheral blood. ApoE^−/− mice fed with a western-type diet were intraperitoneally injected with (bilirubin, n = 14) or without (control, n = 8) bilirubin. The animals were sacrificed after ten weeks. The peripheral white blood (PWB) cells were collected and simultaneously stained with 26 metal isotope-labeled antibodies. The expression of 26 surface markers was then determined by mass cytometry. A viSNE was used to visualize the distribution of the PWB cells from both groups. Cells on the viSNE map were colored by normalized expression of indicated surface markers. B 19 cell populations were identified and colored on the viSNE map. C A heatmap showing the normalized expression of 13 indicated markers in 19 cell populations. D Bar plots showing the frequencies of indicated populations in PWB cells obtained from ApoE^−/− mice treated with or without bilirubin. E A heatmap showing the Pearson correlation coefficients for relationships between the concentrations of TBIL, LDL, HDL, TG, or TCHO in peripheral blood and the frequencies of indicated cell populations. F Dot plots (n = 22) showing the Pearson correlation coefficients for relationships between the concentrations of total bilirubin in peripheral blood and the frequencies of indicated cell populations in the PWB cells. G Dot plots showing the Pearson correlation coefficients for relationships between the concentrations of total bilirubin in peripheral blood and the frequencies of NK cells. Error bars represent mean ± SD. Dots represent individual samples, n (control) = 8, n (bilirubin) = 14. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. Differences were determined by an unpaired t-test. Correlations were determined by a Pearson test