RNA-seq of LCMV GP33-specific CD8 TCR transgenic cells (P14) primed at the onset versus in the midst of persistent LCMV-Clone 13 viral infection

Altered CD8 T cell differentiation and functional exhaustion prevent control of chronic virus infection and cancer. Yet, how fate commitment and exhaustion are determined and dynamically modulated throughout persistent infection are unclear. We compared the activation and differentiation of LCMV GP33-specific CD8 TCR transgenic cells (P14) primed at the onset versus in the midst of established persistent LCMV-Clone 13 viral infection. LCMV GP33-specific CD8 TCR transgenic (P14) cells were injected into naïve mice immediately infected with LCMV-Cl13 (Early priming) or into mice that had been infected 21 days earlier with LCMV-Cl13 (Late Priming). Sixty hours post-priming P14 cells were sorted from mice and subjected to RNA seq. We show early primed cells very rapidly exhibit a transcriptional profile of robust activation, effector differentiation and dysfunction, while late primed cells have increased expression of genes involved in memory differentiation and maintenance. 3 early prime, 3 late prime and 3 naïve P14 T cell samples were analyzed.