Expression data from NOD and B10 CD4 splenocytes

Because activation of the immune response is dependent on extensive changes in gene expression, it is likely that a major component of inter-individual variation in the immune response is ultimately mediated at the level of gene regulation. Here, we examine the influence of genetic variation on inducible gene expression in the murine immune response. We report strain-specific genome-wide differences in mRNA expression between NOD and B10 inbred mice in CD4 splenocytes in basal, stimulated (4hr, PMA/I) states. Splenocytes from NOD and B10 inbred mouse strains were sorted for CD4 using autoMACS for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. We examined the sorted cells at two time points; in the basal state (T0) and four hours after stimulation (T1) with a widely used, analogue of T cell receptor / CD28 co-stimulation signalling, namely phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin.