Treg/Th17 cell balance and phytohaemagglutinin activation of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of systemic sclerosis patients

Figure 4 Elevated serum levels within the limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (n = 11) and diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (n = 13) phenotypes vs healthy controls (n = 16). Boxplots are expressed as means ± SD. A: Increased serum levels of IL-6 in lcSSc phenotype vs controls, P < 0.001. Raised serum levels of IL-6 in dcSSc patients vs controls, P < 0.001; B: Raised serum levels of TGF-β1 in lcSSc patients vs controls, P = 0.031; C: Elevated serum levels of IL-17 A in lcSSc phenotype vs dcSSc patients, P = 0.008, and vs controls, P < 0.001. The IL-17A were also increased in dcSSc patients vs controls, P < 0.001; D: Raised serum levels of IL-10 in lcSSc patients vs controls, P = 0.003. lcSSc: Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis; dcSSc: Diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis; TGF-β1: Tissue growth factor-β1; IL: Interleukin.