Fig. 3

Impact of GCs exposure on CD19 CAR + T cells effector functions. A Relative frequency of CD107a + CD4 + (top) or CD8 + (bottom) CD19 CAR and UT T cells after one (1x) or 3 (3x) exposures with Dx or MP after PMA/ionomycin stimulation. B Radar plot of relative frequency of IFNγ + , TNF + or IL2 + CD4 + or CD8 + CD19 CAR and UT T cells after 3 exposures with Dx (top) or MP (bottom) after PMA/ionomycin stimulation. C Relative frequency of CD107a- IFNγ- TNF- IL2- CD4 + and CD8 + CAR and UT T cells after 3 exposures with Dx or MP after PMA/ionomycin stimulation. D Experimental design for single vs. repeated stimulation with K562 target cells with a single GC exposure. E Pie chart showing the number of functions of CD4 + CAR T cells without GC exposure compared to Dx or MP exposure following a single or 3 stimulations with CD19 + K562 tumor cells. F Comparison of the relative frequency of CD107a- IFNγ- TNF- IL2- CD4 and CD8 CD19 CAR T cells exposed to Dx or MP following a single and 3 stimulations with CD19 + K562 tumor cells. A–C n = 6 and E–F single stimulation n = 8 and 3 stimulation n = 5 donors. 2-way ANOVA with Sidak’s correction was used to compare CD107a + cells frequency at different doses of Dx and MP. Mann–Whitney test was used to compare the functions in CAR vs. UT or 1 × vs 3x. Friedman test with Dunn’s correction was used to compare multifunction in No GC vs. Dx vs. MP conditions. Student t test was used to compare CD107a expression between 1 × vs. 3x (#) and CD107a- IFNγ- TNF- IL2- CD4 and CD8 relative frequency between CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. Medians are represented. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001. ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, ^### p < 0.001