Fig. 3

Serum Interleukin-7 concentrations, proportions of CD127+ and Ki67+ CD8+ T cells. Serum IL-7 concentrations are shown in YATEC and YAT patients compared to YHC and OHC (a). Lower proportions of CD127+ naive CD8+ T cells were seen in YATEC patients compared to YHC, with lowest proportions in OHC (b). Ki67-expressing cells were demonstrated within the CD127+ naive (c) and memory CD8+ T cell subpopulations (d). Highest percentages of Ki67+ were demonstrated in OHC. Bars represent mean percentages ± standard deviation, numbers (n) of investigated individuals for each group. A p ≤ 0.05 indicates statistical significance (Mann–Whitney U test). Taken together, in YATEC and YAT (“thymectomized group”) serum Interleukin-7 (IL-7) concentrations showed a significant correlation with time post thymectomy (e). Lymphocyte counts significantly correlated with IL-7 concentrations in YHC (f), whereas YATEC did not (g). Spearman’s Rank correlation coefficient, R; p ≤ 0.05 indicates statistical significance