CD7 regulates the persistence of terminally exhausted CD8⁺ T cells during chronic infection.

ABSTRACT: CD8⁺ T cell exhaustion limits immune responses during cancer and chronic infection. We identify CD7 as a tissue-specific regulator of terminally exhausted CD8⁺ T cells during chronic infection. CD7 expression progressively increases during exhaustion, reaching its highest levels on a subset of CD101⁺Tim3^low terminally exhausted cells that arise in the liver. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that CD7-deficient terminally exhausted cells display altered expression of co-stimulatory, translational, and effector genes, correlating with markedly reduced persistence and increased apoptotic susceptibility. Importantly, CD7 is preferentially upregulated on PD-1⁺CD39⁺ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in human head and neck squamous cel

SUBMITTER: Hyslop S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12509300 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature