Fig. 5: KCs function as a cellular platform for CD4⁺–CD8⁺ T cell cooperation in the liver.

a, Experimental design. b, Hepatic DC numbers at day 5 after cell transfer. c, sALT in indicated groups of mice and time points. d, IHL numbers. e, Hepatic Cor93 T cell and IFNγ⁺ Cor93 CD8⁺ T cell numbers. f, Immunohistochemical representative liver micrographs at day 5 after cell transfer: H&E, cytokeratin-7, cleaved caspase-3 stainings. Scale bars, 100 μm. g, Hepatic Env126 T_eff cell numbers at day 5 after transfer. h, Experimental setup. i, KC numbers at day 5 after cell transfer. j, Representative flow cytometry plots showing frequency of F4/80⁺TIM4⁺YFP⁺ KCs at day 5 after cell transfer. k, DC numbers at day 5 after cell transfer. l, sALT in indicated groups of mice and time points. m, IHL numbers. n,o, Env28 T cells and IFNγ⁺ Env28 T cell numbers. p, Representative flow cytometry plots showing the frequency of IFNγ⁺ Env28 T cells. q, Immunohistochemical representative liver micrographs: H&E, cytokeratin-7, Ki-67 stainings. Scale bars, 100 μm. r, Representative HBcAg IHC liver micrographs at day 5 after cell transfer. Scale bars, 100 μm. s, Serum HBV DNA quantification of indicated groups of mice and time points. t, Hepatic Env126 T_eff cell numbers at day 5 after cell transfer. a–g, n = 3 (PBS), 3 (Cor93), 4 (+DCs Co-T), 5 (-DCs Co-T). Data are representative of at least two independent experiments. h–t, n = 3 (PBS), 3 (Cor93), 5 (+KCs Co-T), 6 (-KCs Co-T). Data are representative of at least three independent experiments. Data are expressed as the mean ± s.e.m. Data in c and l were analyzed using two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test. Data in all other graphs were analyzed using a two-tailed t-test or one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s post hoc test. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001. BMT, bone marrow transplant. DT, diphtheria toxin.