Distribution, phenotype, and cytokine profile of Th17 cells. Single-cell suspensions were made from fresh tumor specimens. The cells were subjected to membrane and intracellular staining and analyzed by FACS. One representative tumor specimen of 73 is shown in panels B to G. (A) The distribution of Th17 cells in patients with ovarian cancer. Results are expressed as the percentage of Th17 cells in CD4⁺ T cells in different tissues by gating on IL-17⁺CD4⁺CD3⁺ cells. Normal blood: n = 41. TDLN: Tumor-draining lymph nodes, n = 53. Cancer patient blood: n = 61. Ovarian cancer tissues: n = 73 (P < .001, compared with blood and TDLNs). (B) IL-17 expression in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells. IL-17 expression was analyzed in tumor-infiltrating CD45⁺ cells. (C) The expression of CXCR4, CCR6, and CD161 in tumor-infiltrating Th17 cells. (D) The expression of CD49C, CD49D, and CD49E in tumor-infiltrating Th17 cells. (E-F) The markers associated with T-cell activation/effector function and suppression. The expression of activation/effector molecules (CD25, HLA-DR, and granzyme B) in panel E and of suppression-associated molecules (PD-1, FOXP3, and IL-10) in panel F were analyzed in tumor-infiltrating Th17 cells. (G) The effector cytokine profile of Th17 cells. The cytokine profile was analyzed in tumor-infiltrating Th17 cells.