Stable characteristics of intrapopulation heterogeneity in virus-specific Th1 cells during chronic viral challenge infection.

ABSTRACT: Virus-specific CD4⁺ T cells typically undergo T helper (Th) 1 differentiation and contribute to a type 1 immune response in infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Using this model pathogen, we performed an in-depth analysis of the quantitative expression stability of the Th1 key transcription factor T-bet. Previously, it was shown that virus-specific Th1 cells arising in acute infections expressed T-bet at distinct intensities and maintained their T-bet expression differences after viral clearance as memory cells for weeks in the steady state. However, it was unclear whether differential T-bet expression was associated with heterogeneity inside the Th1 population and if the quantitative T-bet memory, particularly of those cells expressing T-bet at low levels,

SUBMITTER: Plajer V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12757370 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature