Global gene expression profiling of lung-resident CD8+ T cells from uninfected, Mtb-infected and BCG-infected mice

Transcriptomics on lung-resident CD8+ T cells reveals how global gene expression patterns diverge over the course of infection with virulent Mtb and non-pathogenic BCG strains. CD8+ T cells from Mtb-infected animals respond with a stronger activation profile than cells from BCG-infected animals, promoting a more inflammatory gene expression profile that contributes to increased indicators of T cell exhaustion, apoptosis and metabolic reprogramming. These data provide new insights into the differential regulation of T cell immunity in virulent and non-virulent Mycobacterial infections. CD8+ T cell transcriptomics were compared among mice infected with virulent Mtb, or the vaccine strain, BCG alongside uninfected controls at two time points over the course of chronic infection (Day 21 and Week 12 post-infection)