Fig. 2

No distinct alterations in phenotype and proliferation of pathogen-specific T cells in patients with PFP. T cell responses in controls and PFP-patients with detectable pathogen-specific T cell frequencies were quantitatively and qualitatively characterized further. In A representative dot plots of VZV-stimulated CD4 T cells of a 28-year-old PFP-patient are shown. Percentages of pathogen-specific CD4 T cells (B), their expression of CTLA-4 (C), and the percentage of pathogen-specific cells positive for CD27 (D) or Ki67 (E) were compared between controls (blue circles) and PFP-patients (orange circles). Numbers in panel A indicate percentage of reactive (CD69⁺IFNγ⁺) among total CD4 cells and CTLA-4 expression (MFI) as well as percentages of CD27- or Ki67-positive CD4 T cells after stimulation with VZV-lysate. Bars in panel B-D represent median values. To ensure robust statistics, analysis in panel C-E was restricted to samples with at least 20 antigen-specific CD4 T cells. CMV, cytomegalovirus, CTLA-4, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4; HSV, herpes-simplex viruses; IFN, interferon; MFI, median fluorescence intensity; PFP, peripheral facial palsy; SEB, Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B; VZV, varicella-zoster virus