In a model of parasite-mediated exhaustion, stem-like CD8 T cells differentiate into an unconventional intermediate effector memory subset.

ABSTRACT: CD8 T cell exhaustion has been reported in mice susceptible to Toxoplasma gondii infection. While the differentiation of CD8 exhausted subsets has been extensively reported, most of these studies have been conducted in chronic viral and cancer models. During chronic T. gondii infection, phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses of the polyclonal antigen-specific CD8 T cell response characterize four populations based on KLRG1 and CD62L expression. Pop1 (KLRG1⁺CD62L^lo) bears the attributes of a terminal effector subset, and pop2 (KLRG1^-CD62L^lo) is similar to effector memory CD8 T cells. Akin to chronic viral infection and cancer systems, pop3 (KLRG1^-CD62L^hi) exhibits the characteristics of stem-like progenitor CD8

SUBMITTER: Moretto MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11838209 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature