Fig. 4: Stability of mature T-bethigh, T-betlow, and T-bet− MP cells and their IL-12-independence.
(a and b) Blockade of IL-12B p40 does not hamper the T-bethigh MP subpopulation. WT mice received anti-IL-12B p40 mAb or control IgG every other day for 1 week and were analyzed for MP CD4+ T cells. a The bar graph shows the frequency (mean ± SD) of MP cells among CD4+ T lymphocytes (Control n = 5 mice; Anti-IL-12B n = 3 mice). b The representative dot plots display T-bet and CXCR3 expression in MP cells while the bar graph indicates the frequency (mean ± SD) of T-bethigh subpopulation among MP cells from each group (Control n = 5 mice; Anti-IL-12B n = 3 mice). (c and d) Batf3 KO MP cells have lower levels of T-bethigh subpopulation before and after transfer into congenic WT mice. Sorted MP cells from CD45.2+ WT and Batf3 KO mice were transferred into CD45.1+ WT recipients and the donor as well as recipient MP cells analyzed 10 days later. The representative dot plots show T-bet and CXCR3 expression in donor MP cells (c) before and (d) after transfer while the bar graph indicates the frequency (mean ± SD) of the T-bethigh subpopulation among transferred MP cells (n = 5 mice). (e) MP cells largely maintain their T-bet expression levels after generation. T-bethigh, T-betlow, or T-bet− MP cells were sorted from CD45.2+ T-bet-ZsGreen reporter mice, transferred into CD45.1+ WT recipient animals, and analyzed for their T-bet and CXCR3 expression 10 days later. Representative dot plots display T-bet and CXCR3 expression by donor as well as recipient MP cells from three independent host mice per group. A two-sided t-test was performed to assess statistical significance. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
