Fig. 6

MMMs cross-talk with Langerin⁺XCR1⁺ cDC1s via VCAM1-ITGA4/ITGB1. A Ligand‒receptor pair analysis between MMMs and Langerin⁺XCR1⁺ cDC1 clusters. B Chord diagram showing preferential interactions between MMMs and Langerin⁺XCR1⁺ cDC1 clusters. C Violin plots of VCAM1 and ITGA4 expression in the indicated cell subsets. D Immunofluorescence images of CD169 (Siglec-1), Langerin, and ITGA4 in the spleens of WT mice (scale bar, 50 µm; n = 4). E The interaction of VCAM1 and ITGA4 was visualized by PLA with additional staining for CD169 (Siglec-1) and Langerin (scale bar, 50 µm or 5 µm; n = 4). F Representative flow cytometry dot plots of splenic Langerin⁺ cDC1 cells from AAV-CD68-shRNA-NC+isotype (upper left), AAV-CD68-shRNA-VCAM1+isotype (upper right), AAV-CD68-shRNA-NC+anti-VLA-4 antibody (bottom left), and AAV-CD68-shRNA-VCAM1+anti-VLA-4 antibody (bottom right)-injected mice. The bar graphs show the frequencies (top) and absolute numbers (bottom) of Langerin⁺ cDC1s (n = 4). G Representative flow cytometry dot plots of splenic MCMV-M38 tetramer⁺ CD8⁺ T cells in the AAV-CD68-shRNA-NC+isotype (upper left), AAV-CD68-shRNA-VCAM1+isotype (upper right), AAV-CD68-shRNA-NC+anti-VLA-4 antibody (bottom left), and AAV-CD68-shRNA-VCAM1+anti-VLA-4 antibody (bottom right)-injected mice. The bar graphs show the frequencies (top) and absolute numbers (bottom) of MCMV-M38 tetramer⁺CD8⁺ T cells in each group (n = 3-4). H Flow cytometry dot plot showing splenic MCMV-M45 tetramer⁺CD8⁺ T cells in the AAV-CD68-shRNA-NC+isotype (upper left), AAV-CD68-shRNA-VCAM1+isotype (upper right), AAV-CD68-shRNA-NC+anti-VLA-4 antibody (bottom left), and AAV-CD68-shRNA-VCAM1+anti-VLA-4 antibody (bottom right)-injected mice. The bar graphs show the frequencies (left) and absolute numbers (right) of MCMV-M45 tetramer⁺CD8⁺ T cells in each group (n = 3, 4). The data are presented as the means ± SEMs. Statistical analysis: one-way ANOVA, Fig. 6F–H