RNA sequencing of splenic reticular cells in healthy and LCMV-infected mice

We report the transcriptome of subsets of mouse splenic mesenchymal reticular cells and lymph node reticular cells obtained from healthy Ccl19-cre x R26R-EYFP mice on a C57BL/6 background. We also examine splenic reticular cells from these mice infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) strain Armstrong (acute infection) or strain Clone 13 (chronic infection). Subsets of CD45- CD31- Ter119- reticular cells were analyzed including PDPN+ T zone reticular cells (TRC) and MAdCAM-1+ marginal reticular cells (MRC) from spleen and lymph nodes. Additionally from the spleen we analyzed PDPN+ CD140a- cells, PDPN+ EYFP- cells, and EYFP+ red pulp reticular cells (RPRC) in healthy mice. We analyzed TRC, MRC, PDPN+ EYFP- cells, and EYFP+ RPRC from mice infected with LCMV Armstrong or LCMV Clone-13 on day 8 or on day 30 after infection. Our study represents the first detailed analysis of splenic reticular cell transcriptomes in healthy and LCMV-infected mice, with biologic replicates, generated by RNA-sequencing. We find substantial differential gene expression across subsets of splenic and lymph node reticular cells. We reveal significant changes in gene expression induced after virus infection that differ markedly with disease. Overall design: mRNA profiles of 5 splenic and 2 lymph node reticular cell subsets in healthy mice and mice with acute or chronic virus infection