All-Trans Retinoic Acid Induces CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Regulatory T Cells by Increasing FOXP3 Demethylation in Systemic Sclerosis CD4+ T Cells

Figure 2

The expression of FOXP3 in SSc CD4+ T cells. FOXP3 mRNA and protein levels were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting, respectively, in different cell groups. (a) The bar chart shows relative FOXP3 mRNA expression in ATRA-treated SSc CD4+ T cells normalized to β-actin. (b) The image shows the protein expression of FOXP3 and β-actin on the Western blots. The bar chart shows quantification of the Western blot band intensities of FOXP3 protein levels normalized to β-actin. FOXP3 mRNA and protein levels were increased in SSc CD4+ T cells stimulated with ATRA and/or TGF-β compared with the blank control group (all, ). The ATRA and TGF-β combined stimulus group showed a significantly increased percentage of Tregs compared with the ATRA or TGF-β alone group (). Data are presented as the mean ± SD and are representative of at least 3 independent experiments.

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