Fig. 1

Circulating CD4⁺ T cell response is enhanced with the visual damage stage in patients with glaucoma. A Flow cytometric gating strategy for peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PBMC were isolated from glaucoma patients (GL) and healthy controls (HC) enrolled in this study. A LIVE/DEAD™ Fixable Near-IR Dead Cell Stain Kit was used to determine the viability of PBMC. CD3 and CD4 were used to determine CD4⁺ T cells. CCR7 and CD45RO were used to determine the activation status of CD4⁺ T cells. Representative flow cytometric plots were shown. B Comparison of the frequency (Freq.) of peripheral blood effector memory (EM), central memory (CM) CD4⁺ T cells, and the EM-to-CM ratio (EM/CM) between GL (n = 87) and HC (HC, n = 98). C, D Shown are comparison of Freq. EM CD4⁺, CM CD4⁺, and EM/CM among different groups stratified according to C visual damage stage based on H-P-A classification system (Mild, n = 28; Moderate, n = 10; Severe, n = 49) and D retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (RNFL ≥ 90 mm, n = 28; 60 ≤ RNFL < 90 mm, n = 22; RNFL < 60 mm, n = 13), respectively. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. Statistical comparisons were performed using B, Mann–Whitney test; C, D, Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparisons test