Markers of persistent multifunctional memory CD4+ T cells in latent TB infection

In latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) spread of the bacteria is contained by a persistent immune response, which includes CD4+ T cells as important contributors. Here we show that TB-specific CD4+ T cells have a characteristic chemokine expression signature (CXCR3+CCR6+CCR4-; Th* cells), and that the overall number of Th* cells is significantly increased in LTBI donors. We have comprehensively characterized the transcriptional signature of Th* cells and find significant differences to conventional Th1, Th17 and Th2 cells, but no major changes between healthy and LTBI donors. Th* cells display linage-specific signatures of both Th1 and Th17 cells, but also have a unique gene expression program including genes associated with susceptibility to TB, enhanced T cell activation, enhanced cell survival, and induction of a cytotoxic program akin to CTL cells. Overall, the gene expression signature of Th* reveals characteristics of cells important in controlling latent infections. Examination of gene expression in 5 human cell types in healthy and Latent TB infected individuals . The 'Differentially_expressed_genes.xlsx' contains genes that are differentially expressed in pair-wise comparisons of different cell types and disease groups. The data format/content description is provided in the 'readme.txt'