(A) PBMCs were collected at the time points shown, cryopreserved, and then thawed before analysis

Proliferation in response to titrated doses of plate-bound anti-CD3 was measured by H incorporation, as described in the Materials and methods. Similar increases in CD3-induced proliferation were observed across dose levels, therefore results for all dose levels are pooled ( = 15) and compared with normal donors run simultaneously (solid line with ▪, = 16). rhIL-7–treated subjects showed increased proliferative responses to anti-CD3 on day 7 (dotted line with ▾), day 14 (dashed line with ♦), and day 21 (dashed line with •) compared with normal donors and on day 7 and 14 compared with baseline values (dashed and dotted line with filled ▴; P < 0.05, two-tailed Mann-Whitney test). (B) mRNA copies per 10 mRNA were quantified from sorted CD3/CD4 cells as detailed in the Materials and methods. No significant change in mRNA was detected between baseline values (white) and values obtained at the time of CD4 expansion (day 14 in gray and day 21 in black; P = NS). Mean ± the SEM of data from subjects enrolled at each dose level are shown: 3 μg/kg ( = 2), 10 μg/kg ( = 3), 30 μg/kg ( = 4), and 60 μg/kg ( = 5). (C) Two-dimensional plots (top) and overlay histograms (bottom) of Ki67 expression in T reg cells and other CD4 and CD8 T cells in an individual subject. Percent Ki-67 cells are indicated in each frame. Pretreatment, shaded histograms; day 7, black; day 14, dark gray; day 21, light gray.Copyright information:Taken from "Administration of rhIL-7 in humans increases in vivo TCR repertoire diversity by preferential expansion of naive T cell subsets"The Journal of Experimental Medicine 2008;205(7):1701-1714.Published online 7 Jul 2008PMCID:PMC2442646.