Bulk RNA-sequencing of spleenic LCMV-specific memory TFH cells treated with aICOSL.
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ABSTRACT: We performed RNA-seq analysis of splenic samples from 8 individual mice sorted for LCMV-specific memory follicular B helper T cells (TFH) with or without aICOSL treatment (4 samples per group).
Project description:CD4 T cell help is critical for both the generation and maintenance of germinal centers, and T follicular helper (TFH) cells are the CD4 T cell subset required for this process. SAP (SH2D1A) expression in CD4 T cells is essential for germinal center development. However, SAP-deficient mice have only a moderate defect in TFH differentiation as defined by common TFH surface markers. CXCR5+ TFH cells are found within the germinal center as well as along the boundary regions of T/B cell zones. Here we show that germinal center associated T cells (GC TFH) can be identified by their co-expression of CXCR5 and the GL7 epitope, allowing for phenotypic and functional analysis of TFH and GC TFH populations. Here we show GC TFH are a functionally discrete subset of further polarized TFH cells, with enhanced B cell help capacity and a specialized ability to produce IL-4 in a TH2-independent manner. Strikingly, SAP-deficient mice have an absence of the GC TFH subset and SAP- TFH are defective in IL-4 and IL-21 production. We further demonstrate that SLAM (Slamf1, CD150), a surface receptor that utilizes SAP signaling, is specifically required for IL-4 production by GC TFH. GC TFH cells require IL-4 and IL-21 production for optimal help to B cells. These data illustrate complexities of SAP-dependent SLAM family receptor signaling, revealing a prominent role for SLAM receptor ligation in IL-4 production by germinal center CD4 T cells but not in TFH and GC TFH differentiation. Analysis of in vivo polyclonal GC Tfh vs Tfh vs Non-Tfh eight days after LCMV viral infection. Analysis of in vivo follicular helper CD4 T cells (CXCR5high GL7low), versus germinal center follicular helper CD4 T cells (CXCR5hi GL7hi), versus non-follicular helper CD4 T cells (CXCR5low) eight days after viral infection.
Project description:CD4 T follicular helper (Tfh) cells provide the required signals to B cells for germinal center reactions that are necessary for longlived antibody responses. However, it remains unclear whether there are CD4+ memory T cells committed to the Tfh lineage after antigen clearance. Using adoptive transfer of antigen-specific memory CD4+ subpopulations (based on CXCR5 and Ly6c expression)in the LCMV infection model, we found that there are distinct memory CD4+ T cell populations with commitment to the Tfh and Th1 lineages. Our conclusions are based on gene expression profiles, epigenetic studies and phenotypic and functional analysis. The gene expression profiles of virus-specific CD4 T cell subets at effector and memory stages is presented here. The SMARTA TCR transgenic / adptive transfer system was used to identify and sort subsets of antigen-specific CD4 T cells (based on their expression of Ly6c and CXCR5) elicited after acute infection with LCMV (Arm).
Project description:Microarray experiments were performed to demonstrate the transcriptome changes due to Rictor deficiency in memory follicular T helper (Tfh) and Type 1 T helper (Th1) cells. These data revealed that the immunological memory formation and persistance associated genes are changed in Rictor-null memory Tfh and Th1 cells, indicating that Rictor is essential for memory CD4 T cell pool.
Project description:CD4 T cell help is critical for both the generation and maintenance of germinal centers, and T follicular helper (TFH) cells are the CD4 T cell subset required for this process. SAP (SH2D1A) expression in CD4 T cells is essential for germinal center development. However, SAP-deficient mice have only a moderate defect in TFH differentiation as defined by common TFH surface markers. CXCR5+ TFH cells are found within the germinal center as well as along the boundary regions of T/B cell zones. Here we show that germinal center associated T cells (GC TFH) can be identified by their co-expression of CXCR5 and the GL7 epitope, allowing for phenotypic and functional analysis of TFH and GC TFH populations. Here we show GC TFH are a functionally discrete subset of further polarized TFH cells, with enhanced B cell help capacity and a specialized ability to produce IL-4 in a TH2-independent manner. Strikingly, SAP-deficient mice have an absence of the GC TFH subset and SAP- TFH are defective in IL-4 and IL-21 production. We further demonstrate that SLAM (Slamf1, CD150), a surface receptor that utilizes SAP signaling, is specifically required for IL-4 production by GC TFH. GC TFH cells require IL-4 and IL-21 production for optimal help to B cells. These data illustrate complexities of SAP-dependent SLAM family receptor signaling, revealing a prominent role for SLAM receptor ligation in IL-4 production by germinal center CD4 T cells but not in TFH and GC TFH differentiation. Analysis of in vivo antigen-specific (LCMV-specific, SMARTA TCR transgenic) WT and Sh2d1a-/- follicular helper CD4 T cells (CXCR5high),versus non-follicular helper CD4 T cells (CXCR5low), eight days after viral infection.
Project description:CD4 T follicular helper (Tfh) cells provide the required signals to B cells for germinal center reactions that are necessary for longlived antibody responses. However, it remains unclear whether there are CD4+ memory T cells committed to the Tfh lineage after antigen clearance. Using adoptive transfer of antigen-specific memory CD4+ subpopulations (based on CXCR5 and Ly6c expression)in the LCMV infection model, we found that there are distinct memory CD4+ T cell populations with commitment to the Tfh and Th1 lineages. Our conclusions are based on gene expression profiles, epigenetic studies and phenotypic and functional analysis. The gene expression profiles of virus-specific CD4 T cell subets at effector and memory stages is presented here.
Project description:Analysis of in vivo antigen-specific (LCMV-specific, SMARTA TCR transgenic) follicular helper CD4 T cells (CXCR5high),versus non-follicular helper CD4 T cells (CXCR5low), eight days after viral infection. A paper including data analysis of these experiments has been accepted for publication (Robert J. Johnston et al. Bcl6 and Blimp-1 are reciprocal and antagonistic regulators of follicular helper CD4 T cell differentiation). Experiment Overall Design: Analysis of in vivo antigen-specific (LCMV-specific, SMARTA TCR transgenic) follicular helper CD4 T cells (CXCR5high), versus non-follicular helper CD4 T cells (CXCR5low), eight days after viral infection.
Project description:Autoimmune T follicular helper (Tfh) cells have different properties from B6/J nonautoimmune tfh cells. To compare differences in Tfh cells due to ongoing SLE disease, spontaneous splenic Tfh (CD4+CXCR5+PD-1+) were cell sorted from a pre-enriched population of negatively isolated total CD4 cells by autoMACS. New zealand derived triple congenic lupus strain was compared with B6/J. RNA was immediately extracted with no culturing or treatment of cells.
Project description:Follicular helper T cells (TFH cells) are the prototypic helper T cell subset specialized to enable B cells to form germinal centers (GCs) and produce high-affinity antibodies. We found that expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) by T cells was essential for TFH cell differentiation. More specifically, we show that after immunization of mice with protein, the miRNA cluster miR-17~92 was critical for robust differentiation and function of TFH cells in a cell-intrinsic manner that occurred regardless of changes in proliferation. In a viral infection model, miR-17~92 restrained the expression of genes M-bM-^@M-^XinappropriateM-bM-^@M-^Y to the TFH cell subset, including the direct miR-17~92 target Rora. Removal of one Rora allele partially M-bM-^@M-^XrescuedM-bM-^@M-^Y the inappropriate gene signature in miR-17~92-deficient TFH cells. Our results identify the miR-17~92 cluster as a critical regulator of T cellM-bM-^@M-^Sdependent antibody responses, TFH cell differentiation and the fidelity of the TFH cell gene-expression program. Gene expression analysis of control versus miR-17~92 knockout (KO) LCMV-specific SMARTA TFH cells 5.5 days after viral infection.
Project description:To characterize the effect of loss of Ets1 in Non-TFH and TFH cells, we performed gene expression RNAseq analysis for T follicular helper (TFH) and Non-T follicular helper (Non-TFH) cells in WT (Ets1 fl/fl) and Ets1 KO (CD4-cre Ets1 fl/fl) mice.
Project description:ATAC-Seq experiments were performed to elucidate the chromatin state changes among naïve CD4+ T cells, WT follicular helper T (TFH) cells and WT type 1 helper T (TH1) cells Day2 (D2), Day5 (D5), Day8 (D8) post-LCMV-Armstrong infection, as well as EZH2-null (KO) TFH and TH1 at Day8 post-LCMV-infection. The analysis suggested stringent lineage-specific mode of chromatin accessibility in each group, indicating chromatin remodeling is tightly associated with TFH versus TH1 lineage differentiation in response to acute viral infection. Furthermore, the comparison between wild-type and EZH2-null TFH cells showed that less-opening state of certain chromatin accessible region in TFH-differentiation associated genes in the formers, suggesting EZH2 led to permissive chromatin accessibility primarily at specific regions of TFH-associated genes. H3K27me3-ChIP-seq was performed in WT TFH and TH1 cells to confirm the deposition of the histone marks at those loci.