FoxA1 directs the lineage and immunosuppressive properties of FoxA1+ regulatory T cells in EAE and MS

Affymetrix gene expression analysis was carried out to investigate the differences in gene profile of MBP89-101-reactive encephalitogenic T cells before and after co-culture with cerebellar granular neurons (CGNs). Co-culture of MBP89-101-reactive encephalitogenic T cells with CGNs leads to generation of T cells with regulatory T cells phenotype (CD4+CD25+membrane bound TGF-b+ T cells) or a new regulatory phenotype (CD4highPD-L1high T cells). CGN-induced CD4+CD25+membrane bound TGF-b+ T regulatory cells, CD4highPD-L1high T cells were purified by FACSAria. IFN-beta induced T lymphocytes (CD4highPD-L1high T cells) were also FACSAria purified. All these populations were compared to MBP89-101-reactive encephalitogenic T cells. Samples were prepared from biological triplicates for each FACSAria sorted population. There are four different cell types, as determined by cell surface markers, in triplicate in the experiment.