Heterogeneity of CD8αα intraepithelial lymphocytes is transcriptionally conserved between TCRαβ and TCRγδ cell lineages.

ABSTRACT: Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) are a versatile population of immune cells with both effector and regulatory roles in gut immunity. Although this functional diversity is thought to arise from distinct IEL subpopulations, the heterogeneity of TCRαβ⁺ and TCRγδ⁺ IELs have not been well characterized. Using scRNAseq, we identified CD8αα⁺ T cell subsets with memory-like (Tcf7 ⁺) and effector-like (Prdm1 ⁺) profiles in both TCRαβ⁺ and TCRγδ⁺ IELs. Using CD160 and CD122 as markers of memory-like and effector-like cells, respectively, we found that while effector-like cells dominated the small intestine, memory-like IELs were more prevalent in the large intestine, suggesting a functional specia

SUBMITTER: Hioki KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12361183 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature