1. CD161 defines a transcriptional and functional phenotype across distinct human T cell lineages
- Author
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Fergusson, JR, Smith, KE, Fleming, VM, Rajoriya, N, Newell, EW, Simmons, R, Marchi, E, Björkander, S, Kang, YH, Swadling, L, Kurioka, A, Sahgal, N, Lockstone, H, Baban, D, Freeman, GJ, Sverremark-Ekström, E, Davis, MM, Davenport, MP, Venturi, V, Ussher, JE, Willberg, CB, Klenerman, P, Fergusson, JR, Smith, KE, Fleming, VM, Rajoriya, N, Newell, EW, Simmons, R, Marchi, E, Björkander, S, Kang, YH, Swadling, L, Kurioka, A, Sahgal, N, Lockstone, H, Baban, D, Freeman, GJ, Sverremark-Ekström, E, Davis, MM, Davenport, MP, Venturi, V, Ussher, JE, Willberg, CB, and Klenerman, P
- Abstract
The C-type lectin CD161 is expressed by a large proportion of human T lymphocytes of all lineages, including a population known as mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. To understand whether different T cell subsets expressing CD161 have similar properties, we examined these populations in parallel using mass cytometry and mRNA microarray approaches. The analysis identified a conserved CD161++/ MAIT cell transcriptional signature enriched in CD161+CD8+ T cells, which can be extended to CD161+ CD4+ and CD161+TCRγδ+ T cells. Furthermore, this led to the identification of a shared innate-like, TCR-independent response to interleukin (IL)-12 plus IL-18 by different CD161-expressing T cell populations. This response was independent of regulation by CD161, which acted as a costimulatory molecule in the context of T cell receptor stimulation. Expression of CD161 hence identifies a transcriptional and functional phenotype, shared across human T lymphocytes and independent of both T cell receptor (TCR) expression and cell lineage.
- Published
- 2014