Differential expression of Ly6C and T-bet distinguish effector and memory Th1 CD4(+) cell properties during viral infection.
CD4(+) T cells differentiate into multiple effector types, but it is unclear how they form memory T cells during infection in vivo. Profiling virus-specific CD4(+) T cells revealed that effector cells with T helper 1 (Th1) or T follicular helper (Tfh) cell characteristics differentiated into memory cells, although expression of Tfh cell markers declined over time. In contrast to virus-specific effector CD8(+) T cells, increased IL-7R expression was not a reliable marker of CD4(+) memory precursor cells. However, decreased Ly6C and T-bet (Tbx21) expression distinguished a subset of Th1 cells that displayed greater longevity and proliferative responses to secondary infection. Moreover, the gene expression profile of Ly6C(lo)T-bet(int) Th1 effector cells was virtually identical to mature memory CD4(+) T cells, indicating early maturation of memory CD4(+) T cell features in this subset during acute viral infection. This study provides a framework for memory CD4(+) T cell development after acute viral infection.
Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
Heather D
HD
Marshall
Anmol
A
Chandele
Yong Woo
YW
Jung
Hailong
H
Meng
Amanda C
AC
Poholek
Ian A
IA
Parish
Rachel
R
Rutishauser
Weiguo
W
Cui
Steven H
SH
Kleinstein
Joe
J
Craft
Susan M
SM
Kaech
D000818:Animals; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
D000950:Antigens, Ly; C494192:Ly-6C antigen, mouse; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor