RNA-seq profiling of in vitro FRC-conditioned, IL6-conditioned or control (anti-CD3/CD28)-stimulated CD8+ T cells

To broadly assess which pathways FRCs regulate in CD8+ T cells, we sorted CD8+ T cells for RNA-seq following activation in whole splenocyte mixtures via soluble anti-CD3/CD28 for 48 hours (Stim), activated with anti-CD3/CD28 in the presence of Nos2–/– FRCs (FRC) or activated with anti-CD3/CD28 plus 100 ng/ml recombinant IL-6 (IL-6). Here we demonstrate that FRC-derived signals, including IL-6, act in concert with TCR signaling and co-stimulation to promote the expression of MYC and HIF-1-dependent glycolytic genes and vital pro-survival genes (encoding BCL-2 family members, inhibitors of apoptosis [IAPs] members and Cflar) in activated CD8+ T cells. CD8+ T cells were sorted for RNA-seq following activation in whole splenocyte mixtures via soluble anti-CD3/CD28 for 48 hours (Stim), activated with anti-CD3/CD28 in the presence of Nos2–/– FRCs (FRC) or activated with anti-CD3/CD28 plus 100 ng/ml recombinant IL-6 (IL-6). The following number of biological replicates were used for each condition: Stim (2), FRC (3), IL-6 (2)