Extended Data Fig. 5: KLF2 drives the differentiation of CD62L⁺ T_PEX and CX3CR1⁺ T_EX cells in chronic LCMV infection.

(a–h) Naïve congenically marked KLF2-deficient (Klf2^Δ) and control P14 CD8⁺ T cells were adoptively co-transferred at a 1:1 ratio into naïve wildtype mice, which were subsequently infected with chronic LCMV-cl13 and analysed on d28 p.i. (a) Flow cytometry plots and quantification showing the expression of KLF2 protein in control and Klf2^Δ P14 cells in spleen and LN (n = 6). (b) Quantification showing the absolute counts of T_PEX and T_EX cells in the spleen and LN on d28 p.i. (n = 13). (c) Flow cytometry plots and quantification showing the frequencies of control and Klf2^Δ CD62L⁺ and CD62L⁻ T_PEX cells in the LN (n = 10). (d) Quantification showing the accumulation of control and Klf2^Δ P14 cells in different tissues (n = 7). (e) Flow cytometry plots and quantification showing the lack of CD62L⁺ and CX3CR1⁺ cells among Klf2^Δ P14 cells in different tissues (n = 6). (f) Flow cytometry plots and quantification showing the frequencies of control and Klf2^Δ CX3CR1⁺ and CD101⁺ T_EX cells in LN (n = 10). (g) Flow cytometry plots and quantification showing the expression of CD69 among control and Klf2^Δ P14 cells in the spleen (n = 10). (h) Quantification of PD-1 and TOX expression in control and KLF2-deficient P14 cells in the spleen (n = 8). (i–n) Naïve congenically marked KLF2-deficient (Klf2^Δ) and control P14 CD8⁺ T cells were adoptively co-transferred at a 1:1 ratio into naïve wildtype mice, which were subsequently infected with chronic LCMV-Docile and analysed on d24 p.i. (i) Schematic of experimental setup. (j) Flow cytometry plots and quantification showing the expression of KLF2 protein in control and Klf2^Δ P14 cells in spleen and LN (n = 9). (k) Quantification showing the relative accumulation of control and Klf2^Δ T_PEX and T_EX cells in the spleen and LN on d24 p.i. (n = 10). (l) Quantification showing the frequencies of control and Klf2^Δ CD62L⁺ and CD62L⁻ T_PEX cells in the spleen and LN (n = 10). (m) Quantification showing the frequencies of control and Klf2^Δ CX3CR1⁺ T_EX cells in the spleen and LN (n = 10). (n) Quantification showing the expression of CD69 among control and Klf2^Δ P14 cells in the spleen and LN (n = 10). Flow cytometry plots are representative. Dots in graphs (b–f, j–n) represent individual mice; bars represent median. Quantification and statistics derive from two-tailed t tests (g, k) and one-way ANOVA (a–f, h, j, l–n) and are based on all data points across at least two independent experiments.