Fig. 3: Functional phenotype of peripheral blood classical monocytes and circulating inflammatory markers.

A Cytokine release of CD14⁺ CD16^- classical monocytes after 24 h stimulation with TLR4 ligand LPS. (HC n = 7, MNG n = 13, TC n = 13) Median with IQR. Corrected for age and sex. B ROS production of CD14⁺ CD16^- classical monocytes during 1 h stimulation with PMA or opsonized zymosan. (HC n = 7, MNG n = 8, TC n = 7) Mean ± SEM. Corrected for age and sex. One-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni correction. C Graphical illustration of co-culture experiment. CD14⁺ CD16⁻ classical monocytes were indirectly co-cultured with TPC-1 cells by using a transwell system. Monocytes in the transwell were used as a control condition. After 24 h co-incubation the transwell with the tumor cells was discarded and the monocytes were stimulated with LPS for 24 h. Illustration created with BioRender.com. D Cytokine production of CD14⁺ CD16⁻ classical monocytes after indirect co-culture with TPC-1 cells followed by 24 h LPS stimulation. (HC n = 7, MNG n = 11, TC n = 8) Paired data are connected by lines. Repeated measures two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni correction. Adjusted p values: TNFa HC p = 0.021, MNG p < 0.001, TC p = 0.004; IL-1b HC p = 0.014, TC p = 0.006, mono HC vs. MNG p = 0.043, MNG vs. TC p = 0.041; IL-6 MNG p < 0.001, TPC-1 HC vs. MNG p = 0.047, TC vs. MNG p = 0.002; IL-1Ra MNG p = 0.009. E–G Comparison of circulating inflammatory mediators in peripheral blood plasma between groups. Volcano plots of fold change and p values for TC versus HC, MNG versus HC and TC versus MNG, respectively. Red circles (fold change >1.5 or <0.5 and p value <0.5) and blue circles (p value <0.5) show significantly enriched or depleted inflammatory markers. Green circles (fold change >1.5 or <0.5) show markers enriched or depleted, without reaching significance. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.