Fig. 7: Pre-depletion of PD-1^high T cells does not impair anti-PD-1-driven accumulation of plaque T cells.

Ifng^YFP/YFPApoe^−/− mice were fed with an HCD for 4 months and treated for the final 3 weeks with isotype control only (n = 11), depleting anti-PD-1 (RMP1.30, n = 10) only, ctrl IgG for 1 week prior to injection of blocking anti-PD-1 antibodies (ctrl IgG + anti-PD-1, n = 13) or depleting anti-PD-1 (RMP1.30) for 1 week prior to injection of blocking anti-PD-1 antibodies (RMP1.30 + anti-PD-1, n = 13). a, Experimental overview. b,c, Numbers of circulating CD44⁺PD-1^int CD4 and CD8 T cells throughout treatment course (days 0, 7 and 21). d,e, Numbers of circulating CD44⁺PD-1^high CD4 (**P = 0.0010) and CD8 (**P = 0.0014, *P = 0.017) T cells throughout the treatment course. f,g, Quantification and representative immunohistochemical staining of T cells (CD3⁺) in aortic root plaques (**P = 0.0077, *P = 0.027). h,i, Flow cytometric analysis of counts of progenitor exhausted (CD44⁺Slamf6⁺Tim3⁻PD-1^int) aortic CD4 (*P = 0.025, **P = 0.0072) and CD8 (***P = 0.0004, *P = 0.014, 0.012) T cells. j,k, Flow cytometric analysis of counts CD44⁺PD-1^high aortic CD4 (*P = 0.039, 0.011, 0.014) and CD8 (***P = 0.009, 0.0021, ****P = 2.4 × 10⁻⁶) T cells. l,m, Flow cytometric analysis of frequency of IFNγ production by aortic memory CD4 (***P = 0.0006, **P = 0.0013, *P = 0.014, 0.026) and CD8 (***P = 0.0006, 0.0009, **P = 0.0061, 0.0097) T cells. b–e, Data presented as mean values ± s.e.m., analyzed with mixed-effects multiple comparisons analysis. g–l, Bars denote median, analyzed with Kruskal–Wallis test. m, Bars denote mean, analyzed with one-way ANOVA. P values are reported top-to-bottom and left-to-right. ctrl, control.

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