Fig 2: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) enhanced IgA production in follicular dendritic cell (FDC)-associated clusters through TSLP receptor (TSLPR), and serum IgA and TSLP concentrations(A) Left to right in the upper row: morphology, CD10+ GC cells and CD21+ FDCs in FDC-associated clusters isolated from tonsillar GCs of IgAN patients. FDC-associated clusters are composed of CD 10+ GC cells and CD21+ FDCs, with about 1 FDC per 10 lymphocytes in each FDC-associated cluster. (B, C) Left to right in the lower row: IgA and TSLP concentrations in the supernatants of FDC-associated clusters. IgA and TSLP were quantified in the supernatants using ELISA. Combined data (mean ± SD) from experiments using FDC-associated clusters from 3 IgAN patients are presented. (D, E) The IgA and TSLP concentrations in the sera of 20 IgAN patients with Tripterygium Wilfordii treatment, 20 IgAN patients without treatment, 20 non-IgAN patients with chronic tonsillitis patients, and 20 healthy volunteers were measured by ELISA. Error bars show means ± SEMs. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01 (using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test).

Fig 3: Localization of Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) in Buccal Mucosa (BM) specimens from patients with Oral Lichen Planus (OLP).A, Representative images of paraffin sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin (a-c) and TSLP antibodies (brown) (d-f). Comparative examination was performed between lesion (b, e) and normal section (c, f). Counterstaining with Mayer’s hematoxylin was subsequently performed (blue). Scale bars, 100 μm. B, Distribution of TSLP and TSLPR in BM specimens from representative patients with OLP, hyperkeratosis and ulcer. Counterstaining was performed with Mayer's hematoxylin (blue). Scale bars, 100 μm. C, The number of TSLP+ and TSLPR+ cells in BM specimens from patients with OLP (n = 15), hyperkeratosis (n = 5) and ulcer (n = 5). The number of these positive cells was calculated from immunohistochemical staining as described in the Methods section. Statistical significance of differences between groups was determined by Kruskal-Wallis tests (**P < 0.01, *P < 0.05).

Fig 4: Transcripts of thymic stromal lymphopoietin receptor (TSLPR; a) and interleukin 7 receptor (IL-7R; b) in the corpus gastric mucosa of 9 healthy controls (HCs; squares), 5 patients with Helicobacter pylori gastritis (HP; triangles), and 9 patients with autoimmune atrophic gastritis (AAG; circles). Panel c shows immunofluorescence staining of interleukin (IL)-7R, TSLPR, and nuclei in a HC, a patient with HP, and a patient with AAG. In AAG, both IL-7R and TSLPR are significantly more expressed compared with both HC and HP. Results are representative of 12 HC, 12 HP, and 12 AAG. Panel d shows immunofluorescence staining of total TSLP in the gastric corpus mucosa in a HC, a patient with HP, and a patient with AAG. In AAG, total TSLP is more expressed compared with both HC and HP, although not significantly. Results are representative of 12 HC, 12 HP, and 12 AAG. Panel e shows the integrated density graphs for TSLPR, IL-7R, and total TSLP. Panel f shows the transcripts of short TSLP in the corpus gastric mucosa of 9 HCs (squares), 5 patients with HP (triangles), and 9 patients with AAG (circles). *P < 0.01; **P < 0.001; ***P < 0.0001.

Fig 5: HPV-positive patients show more TSLP and TGFβ1-positive cells than HPV-negative patients. Immunohistochemical analysis of TSLP and TGFβ1 in HPV-positive and HPV-negative patients. The number of TSLP and TGFβ1-positive cells was significantly greater in HPV-positive than in HPV-negative patients (magnification: ×100). (A) HPV(+) (P16 positive) and TSLP presents a high expression state. (B) HPV(-) (P16 negative) and TSLP presents a low expression state. (C) HPV(+) (P16 positive) and TGFβ1 presents a high expression state. (D) HPV(-) (P16 negative) and TGFβ1 presents a low expression state.