SLAMs Negatively Regulate IL-21 Production in Tfh-Like Cells from Allergic Rhinitis Patients

Figures & data

Table 1 Clinical Features of AR Patients and Healthy Controls Included in the Study

	AR	HC
N	22	20
Gender(M/F)	7/15	8/12
Age (yr)	34.43±2.820	30.94±3.265
IgE (ng/ml)	319.1±70.03*	144.8±5.729

Notes: Data represent the arithmetic mean ± SD. *p<0.05.

Abbreviations: M, male; F, female.

Table 2 Information of AR Patients in the Study

Patient	Sex	Age	Allergen Test Result	Total IgE (ng/mL)
AR1	Female	29	House dust mite:++	248.52
AR2	Female	40	Tree combination:+	134.71
AR3	Male	15	House dust mite+++	520.07
AR4	Male	26	House dust mite:+++	296.7
AR5	Female	24	House dust mite:+++	303.48
AR6	Female	59	House dust:+; cockroach:+; fungus:+	131.59
AR7	Female	25	House dust mite:+	151.78
AR8	Male	40	Cockroach:+	126.55
AR9	Female	19	House dust mite:+++	515.12
AR10	Female	32	House dust:+	140.19
AR11	Female	52	Shot ragweed:++++; artemisia:+++; tree combination:++++	534.12
AR12	Female	17	House dust mite:+++++; house dust:++; cockroach:++	1029.16
AR13	Female	26	House dust mite:+; dog epithelium:++++; cat hair:+	234.41
AR14	Male	49	House dust mite:+++++; house dust:+; cockroach:+	1428.2
AR15	Female	25	House dust mite:+; cockroach:+	140.19
AR16	Male	41	House dust mite:++	175.55
AR17	Female	54	House dust mite:+	131.12
AR18	Female	22	Cockroach: ++	223.66
AR19	Female	38	House dust mite:+	152.1
AR20	Male	24	House dust:+	134.46
AR21	Female	29	House dust mite:+	133.49
AR22	Male	49	House dust mite:+	135.46

Notes: +: 0.35 kU/L < sIgE < 0.7 kU/L; ++: 0.7 kU/L < sIgE < 3.5 kU/L; +++:3.5 kU/L < sIgE < 17.5 kU/L; ++++: 17.5 kU/L < sIgE < 50 kU/L; +++++: 50 kU/L < sIgE < 100 kU/L.

Figure 1 Expression of SLAM/SAP in CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ T cells in AR patients. (A and B) Gating strategy and representative flow plot. (C) Frequencies of CXCR5⁺ cells among CD4⁺ T cells within PBMCs. (D) Detection of SLAM/SAP expression was gated on CD3⁺CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ T cells. (E) Representative SLAM plot. (F) The expression of SLAM. (G) Representative plot of SAP. (H) The expression of SAP. (I) The correlation between the expression of SLAM and SAP in CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ T cells from AR patients. (J) The correlation between the expression of SLAM and IgE in AR patients. (K) The correlation between the expression of SAP and IgE in AR patients. *P<0.05; **P<0.01.

Figure 2 High levels of IL-21 in AR patients. (A) Level of serum IL-21. (B) The correlation between serum IL-21 and IgE. (C) The correlation between SLAM and IL-21. (D) The correlation between SAP and IL-21. **P<0.01.

Figure 3 SLAM reduced the production of IL-21 in CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ T cells. (A) The purity of CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ cells was analyzed by FCM. (B) The levels of IL-21 secreted by CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ T cells with anti-SLAM mAb stimulation (0.5 µg/mL, 48 h, n=6). (C and D) The levels of IL-21 secreted by CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ T cells after anti-SLAM stimulation at different time points or at different concentrations. *P<0.05.

Figure 4 Expression of SLAM on the B cell surface in AR patients. (A) Representative flow plot of CD19⁺ B cells. (B) Frequencies of CD19⁺ B cells in PBMCs. (C) Representative plot of SLAM. (D) The expression of SLAM on the CD19⁺ B cell surface. **P<0.01; ***P<0.001.