Analysis of gene expression profiles from alloreactive TCR-Tg CD8 T cells during activation and induction of tolerance

RNA-seq was used to evaluate transcriptional changes in alloreactive TCR-Tg CD8 T cells during activation and tolerance induction. CBA mice were exposed to a low dose whole body irradiation and then injected with bone marrow from TCR-Tg KB5 mice to generate synchimeric mice. The KB5 TCR recognizes alloantigens from H2b MHC molecules, specifically Kb, that are expressed by C57BL/6 mice. The injection of bone marrow from KB5 mice into CBA mice enables the development of small and traceable population of TCR-Tg KB5 CD8 T cells. A clonotypic antibody specific for the KB5 TCR allows these cells to be monitored and sorted from the periphery of synchimeric mice by flow cytometry. KB5 CD8 T cells were purified by sorting cells from synchimeric mice under the following conditions: 1) not exposed to alloantigens and in a naïve state, 2) exposed to H2b antigens from C57BL/6 mice to activate the KB5 CD8 T cells, 3) exposed to H2b antigens in the presence of anti-CD154 that blocks costimulatory signals and induces transplantation tolerance, or 4) treated with alloantigens, anti-CD154 and LPS, that induces an inflammatory response and abrogates the induction of tolerance. KB5 CD8 T cells were FACS purified to a level of greater than 95%, RNA was recovered from the purified cells and RNA-seq was performed on triplicate samples from 3 independent experiments. Overall, the analyses revealed expression changes for a number of genes that regulate immune responses and inflammation, cell proliferation and immune cell homing. Overall design: Determine the changes in gene expression profiles that are induced during constimulation blockade.

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Jangalwe S, Kapoor VN, Xu J, Girnius N, Kennedy NJ, Edwards YJK, Welsh RM, Davis RJ, Brehm MA