Eomes identifies thymic precursors of self-specific memory-phenotype CD8⁺ T cells.

ABSTRACT: Unprimed mice harbor a substantial population of 'memory-phenotype' CD8⁺ T cells (CD8-MP cells) that exhibit hallmarks of activation and innate-like functional properties. Due to the lack of faithful markers to distinguish CD8-MP cells from bona fide CD8⁺ memory T cells, the developmental origins and antigen specificities of CD8-MP cells remain incompletely defined. Using deep T cell antigen receptor (TCR) sequencing, we found that the TCRs expressed by CD8-MP cells are highly recurrent and distinct from the TCRs expressed by naive-phenotype CD8⁺ T cells. CD8-MP clones exhibited reactivity to widely expressed self-ligands. T cell precursors expressing CD8-MP TCRs showed upregulation of the transcription factor Eomes during maturation in the thymus, prior to

SUBMITTER: Miller CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7193531 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature