Gene expression profile at single-cell level of helped and helpless LCMV-specific CD8+ effector T cells (day 7 post acute LCMV infection)

We used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to obtain transcriptomic profiles of virus-specific CD8+ effector T cells generated in the presence (helped) or absence (helpless) of CD4+ T cells. Overall design: Young adult B6 mice were treated with isotype control antibody (helped) or depleted of CD4+ T cells (helpless), transferred intravenuously with 5,000 naïve congenic (CD90.1+) T cell receptor transgenic (TCRtg) CD8+ T cells specific for the LCMV GP33-41 determinant (P14 cells), and challenged with LCMV Armstrong (2e5 pfu intraperitoneally). Seven days later, live P14 effector T cells (P14 TE) were purified from spleens of P14 chimeras by fluorescence activated cell sorting for downstream scRNA-seq processing.