Fig. 1

CD4⁺CD28^null T cells are cytomegalovirus (CMV)-responsive T helper 1 (Th1) pro-inflammatory T cells. a Following stimulation with CMV lysate, a greater proportion of CD4⁺CD28^null T cells (open circles) expressed the activation marker CD154 and secreted interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) compared with CD4⁺CD28⁺ T cells (grey squares) (ANCA-associated vasculitis [AAV], n = 53). b CD4⁺CD28^null T-cell percentage correlated with the size of the total CD4 CMV response and with the anti-CMV IgG antibody titre (AAV, n = 53). c A greater proportion of CD4⁺CD28^null T cells expressed the Th1 transcription factor T-bet compared with CD4⁺CD28⁺ T cells and CD4⁺CD28^null T-cell percentage correlated with the percentage of CD4 T cells expressing T-bet (AAV, n = 53). d CD4⁺CD28^null T cells exhibited a Th1 lineage chemokine receptor pattern rather than Th2 or Th17 (AAV, n = 17). e There was no difference in the cytokine expression profile between AAV (n = 53, open circles) and healthy volunteers (HV) (n = 30, open triangles), but patients with AAV contained larger expansions of CD4⁺CD28^null T cells. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. All bars are medians. Abbreviation: ns not significant