Quantification of inflammatory cells, transcription factors and interferon (IFN)‐γ immunoreactive cells in the bronchial submucosa
| Mild/moderate COPD | Control smokers | Control nonsmokers | p‐value | |
| CD3 | 586 (122–1067)¶ | 467 (180–1139)¶ | 320 (168–582) | 0.03 |
| CD4 | 271 (127–654) | 205 (37–368) | 172 (88–310) | 0.09 |
| CD8 | 223 (163–409)¶ | 291 (93–571)¶ | 114 (59–286) | 0.0065 |
| CD68 | 702 (399–833)¶ | 520 (261–945) | 412 (235–654) | 0.0066 |
| Nuclear STAT4 | 114 (0–353) | 42 (0–198) | 0 (0–218) | 0.063 |
| Cytoplasm STAT4 | 242 (150–705) | 242 (99–441) | 176 (40–500) | 0.42 |
| Total STAT4 | 411 (286–808) | 292 (99–553) | 243 (40–579) | 0.088 |
| Phospho‐(Y‐693)STAT4 | 240 (22–406)# | 125 (0–492) | 29 (0–511) | 0.037 |
| T‐bet | 34 (22–67) | 32 (3–89) | 21 (4–137) | 0.56 |
| IFN‐γ | 38 (12–71)¶ | 29 (0–115) | 10 (0–46) | 0.05 |
Data are presented as cells per mm2 median (range), unless otherwise stated
STAT4: signal transducer and activator of transcription 4
COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
#: significantly different from control smokers
¶: significantly different from control nonsmokers