Fig. 1

Treatment-naïve polyJIA patients have altered CD4 + T cell subsets. A PBMCs from healthy pediatric controls (PC) and treatment-naïve polyJIA patients (TN) were analyzed for IL-17 producing CD3 + CD4 + (Th17) T cells after overnight stimulation with PMA + calcimycin. Treatment-naïve patients had more Th17 cells (PC 0.15 ± 0.05% v TN 0.4 ± 0.07%, *p < 0.05, Mann–Whitney U test). B Samples from polyJIA patients that had achieved remission on medication post-treatment (PT) were also analyzed for Th17 cells and compared to the treatment-naïve frequencies for that same patient without significant differences, but with two notable outliers (Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test). C T regulatory cells (Tregs = CD3 + CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 +) identified ex vivo from treatment-naïve patients were not different from healthy pediatric controls (PC 6.3 ± 0.8% v TN 7.1 ± 0.7%, Mann–Whitney U test). D Paired analysis of patients’ treatment-naïve and post-treatment samples did not reveal differences in Treg frequencies after treatment (Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test). Black bars represent mean ± SEM. PBMCs, peripheral blood mononuclear cells; IL, interleukin; PMA, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate