Activation of natural killer T cells contributes to Th1 bias in the murine liver after 14 d of ethinylestradiol exposure

Figure 1 Ethinylestradiol promotes hepatic natural killer T cell proliferation along with biased Th1 cytokine production. A: The percentage of hepatic natural killer T (NKT) cells, T cells and NK cells were detected and defined as CD3e⁺CD49b⁺ (upper right), CD3e⁺CD49b^- (lower right), CD3e^-CD49b⁺ (upper left), respectively; B: Proportion analysis and comparison of NKT cells; C: Proportion analysis and comparison of T cells; D: Proportion analysis and comparison of NK cells; E and F: Th1 cytokine (IFN-γ) (E) and Th2 cytokine (IL-4) (F) produced by NKT cells and T cells were detected, respectively; G: IFN-γ produced by NKT cells; H: IL-4 produced by NKT cells; I: The ratio of Th1/Th2 by NKT cells; J: IFN-γ produced by T cells; K: IL-4 produced by T cells; L: The ratio of Th1/Th2 by T cells; M and N: Th1 cytokine (IFN-γ) (M) and Th2 cytokine (IL-4) (N) produced by NK cells were detected; O: IFN-γ produced by NK cells; P: IL-4 produced by NK cells; Q: The ratio of Th1/Th2 by NK cells. All values are the means ± SE (n = 4-6). ^aP < 0.05, ^cP < 0.001 vs control.