title: Expression of T-bet, Eomesodermin and GATA-3 in porcine αβ T cells.
abstract: The transcription factors GATA-3, T-bet and Eomesodermin play important roles in T-cell development, differentiation and memory formation. However, their expression has not been studied in great detail in porcine T cells. We report on protein expression at the single cell-level of these transcription factors in thymocytes and mature αβ T cells. GATA-3 expression was found in γδ(-) thymocytes, with decreasing expression from the CD4(-)CD8α(-) stage towards single-positive stages. Extra-thymic CD4(+) T cells but not CD8β(+) T cells expressed low levels of GATA-3, which decreased with age. CD4(+) and CD8β(+) T-bet(+) cells mainly displayed a CD8α(+)CD27(-) and perforin(+)CD27(dim/-) phenotype, respectively and had the capacity for IFN-γ production; indicative of an effector/effector memory phenotype. Eomesodermin(+) αβ T cells had mixed phenotypes in regard to CD8α, CD27 and perforin expression. In conclusion, our data so far support the hitherto reported roles for GATA-3 in T-cell development and T-bet for Th1 effector-differentiation, but question the role of Eomesodermin for memory formation of porcine T-cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Irene M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Gómez
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Stephanie C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Talker
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Käser
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stadler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Sabine E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saalmüller
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: wilhelm.gerner@vetmeduni.ac.at.
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gerner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000378:metabolism; D034421:Sus scrofa; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
chemical_list: D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
keywords: Eomesodermin; GATA-3; Swine; T-bet; αβ T cells