Fig. 1

Lymphocyte subsets of SSc patients and HCs (A) The absolute counts of lymphocytes, T (CD3+), Th (CD3 + CD4+), Ts (CD3 + CD8+), B (CD3-CD19+), and CD3-CD56 + NK (CD3-CD56 +) cells in SSc patients and HCs. (B) The percentage of lymphocytes T (CD3+), Th (CD3 + CD4+), Ts (CD3 + CD8+), B (CD3-CD19+) and NK (CD3-CD56 +) cells between SSc patients and HCs. (C) The serum levels of cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α) in SSc were significantly increased. HC, Healthy controls; SSc, systemic sclerosis; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 by Mann–Whitney’s U-test.