Fig. 3: LMO7 facilitates immune evasion by promoting the enrichment of Tregs in PDAC cells and immune-competent mice.

a Flow cytometry plots (CD45⁺ gated, CD4⁺ FOXP3⁺ of CD4⁺) (left) and the percentages of Tregs (right) after co-culture. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 3 independent biological replicates). Flow cytometry plots (b) (CD45⁺ gated, CD4⁺ FOXP3⁺ of CD4⁺) and the percentages of Treg differentiation after LMO7 knockdown in CFPAC-1 cells (c) and overexpression in Mia Paca-2 cells (d). Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 3 independent biological replicates). e Number of Treg chemotaxis after LMO7 knockdown in CFPAC-1 cells and overexpression in Mia Paca-2 cells. Data presented as mean ± SEM (n = 3 independent biological replicates). f Representative flow cytometry plots (CD45⁺ CD3⁺ CD4⁺ gated, CD4⁺ CD25⁺ FOXP3⁺ of CD4⁺) (left) and the percentages of infiltrating Tregs (right) by constructing an immune-competent mouse orthotopic PDAC model. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. n = 6 mice per group. g Flow cytometry plots showing infiltrating CD8⁺ T cell CD69 intensity detection (CD45⁺ CD3⁺ CD8⁺ gated). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. n = 6 mice per group. h Flow cytometry plots demonstrating infiltrating NK cell CD69 intensity detection (CD45⁺ CD3^- NK1.1⁺ gated). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. n = 6 mice per group. i Schematic illustration of inducing the Foxp3-DTR model mice. j Flow cytometric analysis of CD8⁺ IFN-γ⁺ T cells (CD45⁺ CD3⁺ gated) and CD3^- NK1.1⁺ IFN-γ⁺ NK infiltrating PDAC in Foxp3-DTR mice treated with saline. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. n = 6 mice per group. k Flow cytometric analysis of CD8⁺ IFN-γ⁺ T cells (CD45⁺ CD3⁺ gated) and CD3^- NK1.1⁺ IFN-γ⁺ NK infiltrating PDAC in Foxp3-DTR mice treated with DT. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. n = 6 mice per group. l Statistical analysis of the relative fold change of CD8⁺ IFN-γ⁺ T cells (CD45⁺ CD3⁺ gated). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. n = 6 mice per group. m Statistical analysis of the relative fold change of CD3^- NK1.1⁺ IFN-γ⁺ NK cells. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. n = 6 mice per group. Statistical significance was determined using two-tailed unpaired t-test. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.