Fig. 3: vCD44BP impairs antiviral CD8 T cell responses by interfering with dendritic cell migration.
From: Fibroblastic reticular cells direct the initiation of T cell responses via CD44
a–d, Numbers of CD8 T cells (a), virus-specific IE1-tetramer+ CD8 T cells (b) and percentage (c) and number (d) of MPEC (CD127hi) and SLEC (CD127low) IE1+ virus-specific CD8 T cells in spleens of uninfected mice or mice infected with wild-type or ∆vCD44BP MCMV (7 dpi). Data in a–d are pooled from three independent experiments (naive, n = 6; MCMV and ∆vCD44BP, n = 12). e, Numbers of cDC1s and cDC2s in spleens of uninfected mice or mice infected with MCMV or ∆vCD44BP. Data are pooled from two independent experiments (n = 8 per group). f, Frequency of IV− dendritic cells in spleens of uninfected mice or mice at 36 h after infection with MCMV or ∆vCD44BP. Data are pooled from two independent experiments (naive, n = 5; MCMV and ∆vCD44BP, n = 8). g, Spleen sections from uninfected mice and mice infected with MCMV or ∆vCD44BP (2 dpi). ImageJ images processed with Imaris (for display purposes only) are shown. Scale bars, 250 μm. WP, white pulp; MZ, marginal zone; MZBC, marginal zone bridging channel. h, Mean CD11c staining intensities in T cell zones at 2 dpi. i, Representative confocal image showing CD8, IE1 and CD11c in the splenic white pulp of MCMV-infected mice (2 dpi). The white circle highlights an area in which MCMV-infected IE1+ cells are in close contact with CD11c+ dendritic cells and CD8+ T cells. The image is representative of data from three independent experiments. Scale bar, 20 μm. All mice were infected with 5 × 103 PFU. Graphs show mean ± s.e.m.; violin plots show median and quartiles; significance tested by two-sided Mann–Whitney test.
