RNAseq analysis of mature thymic NKT cells and immature thymic DN1eP cells. Mus musculus

We report the identification of immature thymic CD4(-),CD8(-) double-negative (DN)1e cells with the NKT cell lineage potential. We also analyzed the gene expression profiles of DN1e thymocytes compared with those of mature thymic NKT cell developmental stages termed NKT stage-1, 2, and -3, which are characterized by differential expression levels of NK1.1 and CD44 antigens in C57BL/6J mouse strain. Overall design: Next generation sequencing of total transcriptomes using total RNA isolated from FACS sorted ex vivo thymic DN1eP (Lin-/CD44+/CD25-/CD24low/CD5+/CD27+/Ly108-/CXCR3+) fraction, and mature thymic alphaGalCer-loaded CD1d dimer+TCRbeta+ NKT cell developmental stage-1 (CD44-/NK1.1-), stage-2 (CD44+/NK1.1-), and stage-3 (CD44+/NK1.1+) cells, obtained from C57BL/6J wild-type mice.