Coexpression of 18 genes simultaneously in individual cells from CD8+ T cell subsets

Understanding the distribution, function, and lineage relationship of CD8+ T-cell subpopulations is of fundamental value for the monitoring of the immune system in several experimental and clinical situations. However, the available data concerning the description of effector and memory CD8+ subsets in humans remain rather fragmentary because different studies favored the usage of distinct and restricted sets of cell surface markers and functional parameters.

We obtained coexpression data of 18 genes simultaneously in individual cells from CD8+ T cell subsets (associated to multiple markers to subdivide CD8+ T cells into 14 different cell types, several of which were not described previously). Our results show that each subset has a defined pattern of gene expression. Moreover, effector gene expression of CCR7- cells correlated only with CD27 expression levels and CD27/CD28 coexpression but not with CD45RA/R0 phenotypes. Our findings thus describe new CD8+ cell subsets, allow the identification of relatively homogeneous CD8+ subpopulations, provide a predictable and precise correlation between particular cell surface markers and CD8+ T-cell functional properties, and identify effector cells present in both CCR7-CD45RA+ and CCR7-CD45R0+ compartments. The results also indicate that activated cells might modulate the expression of CD45RA/R0 asynchronously rather than CCR7-CD45RA+ cells always issuing from CD45RA- precursors.

• molecule type
• CD45,
• CD8,
• CD27 receptor,
• CD197,
• macrophage colony stimulating factor,
• CD28 receptor

• cell type
• T cell,
• dendritic cell

• organism type
• Homo sapiens

• experimental design type
• in vitro design experiment,
• transcript identification experiment

created over 16 years ago (2 March 2009)    last modified over 13 years ago (28 September 2011)   [ RDF ]   [ RelFinder ]