Intestinal epithelial and intraepithelial T cell crosstalk mediates a dynamic response to infection

Oral infection of mice with Salmonella Typhimurium leads to rapid changes in small intestinal TCRgd IEL behavior. How these changes are induced is currently unknown. By analyzing the transcriptome of TCRgd and intestinal epithelial cells in the steady state and after infection, we find a potential role for epithelial cell MYD88 expression in regulating the IEL response. By additionally analyzing the transcriptome of epithelial cell-specific, conditional Myd88 knockout animals after Salmonella infection, we address the role of epithelial cell Myd88 signaling in regulating the IEL and EC response to Salmonella infection. 3 types of mice were used: wildtype C57BL/6 mice, Villin-Cre Myd88ff and Cre negative control mice (C57BL/6 background). Wildtype mice were naïve or orally infected with 10^8 CFU of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (SL1344) and IELs were harvested from the small intestine after 18 hours. Villin-Cre Myd88ff and Cre negative control mice were treated with Tamoxifen. 1 week after Tamoxifen treatment, mice were orally infected with 10^8 CFU of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (SL1344) and IELs were harvested from the small intestine after 18 hours.