Figure 2

Proportion of NK (CD56 ⁺ CD3 ^- ) subsets (Panel A), NKT-like (CD56 ⁺ CD3 ⁺ ) subsets (Panel B) and CD8+ T lymphocyte subsets (Panel C), from the peripheral blood of HNS (n = 12), smokers (n = 15) and COPD subjects (n = 10). Panel A shows the proportion of CD56^brightCD16^- NK cells was significantly increased in COPD subjects compared to HNS (**; p < 0.01) and smokers (***; p < 0.001). Panel B shows significantly more CD8⁺CD56⁺CD3⁺ cells (**; p < 0.01) in the peripheral blood of COPD subjects compared to the other two groups and a significant decrease in the proportion of CD4⁺CD56⁺CD3⁺ cells (***; p < 0.001). Panel C shows cells of the highly cytotoxic effector memory phenotype (T_EMRA; CD8⁺CD45RO⁺RA⁺CD62L^-) were significantly decreased in COPD subjects (*; p < 0.05).