Regulatory Effect of Iguratimod on the Balance of Th Subsets and Inhibition of Inflammatory Cytokines in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Figure 4

Changes of the expression of Th1/Th17/Tfh/Treg related transcriptional factors at mRNA levels in RA patients before and after therapy. Relative expression of (a) T-bet, (b) IL-17, (c) RORγt, (d) STAT3, (e) Bcl6, (f) IL-21, and (g) Foxp3. Mean mRNA expressions of cytokines and transcription factors in our study were quantified by RT-PCR and are statistically significant compared to 24 w (, , or ). , , and are statistically significant compared to 0 w. Group A: iguratimod was administered to patients for 52 weeks. Group B: placebo was administered to patients for the first 24 weeks and iguratimod was administered to patients for the subsequent 28 weeks.

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