Fig. 4
From: Excessive IL-15 promotes cytotoxic CD4 + CD28− T cell-mediated renal injury in lupus nephritis
IL-15 enhances innate function and cytokine secretion of CD4 + CD28− T cells
(A) PBMCs of 8 healthy controls and 8 LN patients were stimulated with IL-15 (50ng/ml), anti-CD3 (10ug/ml), IL-15 (50ng/ml) combined with anti-CD3 (10ug/ml) or left unstimulated for 24 h and performed by flow cytometry. Expression levels of NKG2D in CD4 + CD28−T cells are shown for healthy controls and LN patients. Graphs represent mean values of all donors
(B) PBMCs of 8 healthy controls and 8 LN patients were stimulated with IL-15 (50ng/ml), or left unstimulated for 72 h and examined by flow cytometry. Percentages of perforin and granzyme B expression in CD4 + CD28−T cells are shown for healthy controls and LN patients. Graphs represent mean values of all donors
(C) PBMCs of 8 healthy controls and 8 LN patients were stimulated with anti-CD3 (10ug/ml) with or without IL-15 (50ng/ml) for 72d. The frequency of degranulating (CD107a+) cells was examined every 24 h by flow cytometry. Percentages of degranulating (CD107a+) cells are shown for healthy controls and LN patients
(D) PBMCs of 8 HCs and 8 LN patients were stimulated with IL-15 (50ng/ml) combined with anti-CD3 10ng/ml or 10ug/ml for 6 h and IFN -γ production was measured. The mean ± SEM production of IFN -γ of CD4 + CD28− T cells is shown. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001