Regulation of the alveolar regenerative niche by amphiregulin-producing Treg cells (MesSTIM)

This study investigates the role of regulatory T cell–derived Areg in driving epithelial repair following influenza infection. We use RNA sequencing to probe the gene expression changes within distinct mesenchymal cell subsets of the lung upon stimulation with EGF (50ng/mL), AREG (200ng/mL), or mock. n = 2 wells / group. All populations of mesenchymal cells were extracted from lungs by enzymatic digestion. Cells were enriched by negative selection using magnetic biotinylated beads for depletion of CD45+, CD31+, Epcam+ and Ter119+ cells, then sorted by FACs. Cells were plated overnight in vitro before ex vivo stimulation.