Fig. 6

Changes of the Ki67 expression of recent thymic emigrant (RTE), mature naive (MN), CD31⁺, and CD31⁻ memory regulatory T cells (Tregs)/responder T cells (Tresps) with age in healthy volunteers (n = 94) and SLE patients, divided into patients treated with glucocorticoids (n = 46) or not (n = 32). The percentages of Ki67⁺ cells within RTE, MN, CD31⁺, and CD31⁻ memory Tregs/Tresp was estimated in healthy volunteers (black diamonds) and in SLE patients who were treated with glucocorticoids (red diamonds) or not (green diamonds). An age-independent significantly decreased (red downward arrow) percentage of Ki67⁺ cells was detected in CD31⁺ and CD31⁻ memory Tregs (marked by red p* values) in glucocorticoid-treated versus untreated SLE patients (a). A similarly reduced expression of Ki67⁺ cells in CD31⁺ and CD31⁻ memory Tresps of glucocorticoid-treated SLE patients was not detected (b)