Fig. 2

IRF4 inhibited the expression of FOXP3. A Co-IP detection of IRF4 and FOXP3 co-expression in lung tissues. B Immunofluorescence double staining detection of IRF4 and FOXP3 co-localisation (× 400; scale bar, 50 μm). Red fluorescence indicated positive expression of FOXP3, green fluorescence indicated positive expression of IRF4, and blue fluorescence represented DAPI-labelled nuclei. Co-localisation of FOXP3 and IRF4 was depicted in orange. C Pearson correlation analysis to show a negative correlation between IRF4 and FOXP3 protein level (r = − 0.846). Data are expressed as mean ± SD. n = 6. Significant differences are indicated by *p < 0.05