Fig. 1: Human microbe-reactive CD4 T cells are CD161hi and display a polyfunctional effector phenotype with innate-like features.
See also Supplemental Figs. 1–3. A Expression of TNF by iTCR (Vα7.2, Vα24-Jα18, TCRγδ)-negative colonic CD4 T cells after 8 h of incubation in medium (control) or heat-killed microbes. B Absolute numbers of TNF-positive CD4 T cells per million colonic CD4 T cells, n = 9 biologically independent samples. C Expression of CD161 and CD56 by colonic CD4 T cells after exclusion of cells expressing TCRs associated with innate-like T cells (iTCR: see A) or CD8. D Frequencies of TNF-expressing CD161−, CD161int, CD161hi, and double-positive (DP) CD4 T cells after 8 h of microbial stimulation, n = 10 biologically independent samples. E Expression of IL18Rα and IFNγ on TNF− or TNF+ CD4 T cells upon stimulation with E. coli. F Percentage of IL18Rα and IFNγ-positive cells among TNF− or TNF+ CD4 T cells upon stimulation with SEB or microbes, n = 4 biologically independent samples. G Expression of PLZF in TNF− or TNF+ CD4 T cells upon stimulation with E. coli. H Difference in PLZF expression between TNF− CD4 T cells compared to TNF+ CD4 T cells, n = 4 biologically independent samples. I Microbe-specific TNF responses upon blockade of MHC-II, CD1d, MR1, or IL12/18 as a percentage of the response observed with isotype antibodies (100%, dotted line). Statistics were calculated comparing the responses for each blocking condition to the normalized response in each donor, n = 3 (C. albicans responses), 4 (MR1, CD1d, and IL12/18-blocking), or 10 (MHC-II blocking of E. coli or S. aureus responses) biologically independent samples. J E. coli -induced TNF-expression by colonic CD4 T cells in the presence of blocking antibodies or an isotype control. K Expression of IFNγ by colonic CD4 T cells after 20 h of stimulation with IL-12/18, n = 6 biologically independent samples. G Percentages of IFNγ-positive cells among the populations from K. (B, D, F, H, I, K, L): data points were pooled from independent experiments using one or two human samples each. Statistics: repeated measures ANOVA with Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test (B, L), Friedman tests with Dunn’s multiple comparisons tests (D), Mixed-effects analysis with Tuckey’s or Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test (F, I), two-tailed Mann–Whitney test (H), 2-way ANOVA with Sidak’s multiple comparisons test (K). Mean ± SEM is shown. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
