Transcriptome comparison between TCR γδ T subsets reveals their exclusive and shared markers

Intestinal intraepithelial gamma-delta T cells (iIEL gd T cells) constitute a peculiar subset of T lymphocytes located in the gut epithelial barrier involved in intestinal homeostasis. To date, type 1 and type 17 TCR gamma-delta T cells have been well characterized into two functional categories based on phenotypic and functional markers e.g. CD44 and CD27. However, It remains to be determined how to classify iIEL gamma T cells based on commonly used markers. We addressed this question by comparing the transcriptomes of mouse iIEL gamma-delta T cells with distinct functionally well-described gamma-delta T cells present in the periphery. Different subsets of gamma-delta T cells were isolated from mice in biological triplicates and profiled using whole genome transcriptome (Affymetrix genechip 2.0 St arrays).