Fig. 5

Suppressive function of T cell Ig and mucin domain protein 1 (TIM-1)⁺ B cells from healthy controls and patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) over T cells. a Left representative dot-plots show the effect of TIM-1⁺ and TIM-1⁻ purified B cells from healthy controls in the proliferation (measured as percentage of 5, 6-carboxylfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE)^low cells) and in the production of interferon (IFN)-γ, TNF-α, IL-17, and IL-4 by autologous CD4+ T cells stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies for 5 days. Right suppressive effect of TIM-1⁺ and TIM-1⁻ B cells from healthy donors in the proliferation and the production of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-17, and IL-4 by autologous stimulated CD4⁺ T, calculated as the inhibition index (1 – (percentage of activated CD4⁺ T cells in presence of B cells/percentage of activated CD4⁺ T cells with anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 alone)) (n = 3). b Suppressive effect of TIM-1⁺ and TIM-1⁻ B cells from patients with SSc in the proliferation, and the production of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-17, and IL-4 by autologous stimulated CD4⁺ T, calculated as inhibition index (n = 3). c Inhibition of the expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α by autologous activated CD4⁺ T cells by the indicated B cell subpopulations from healthy donors (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01