TCR and inflammatory signals tune human MAIT cells to exert specific tissue repair and effector functions

We sought to describe in detail human MAIT cell activation using a transcriptomic approach to define the basic transcriptome of MAIT cells in  humans and to determine how this is modulated by activation. Fresh human peripheral blood cells were obtained from three donors, and were magnetically enriched on CD8+ cells, and flow-sorted for live CD161++TCR Va7.2+ MAIT cells. These were cultured in media for 20 hours (“unstimulated”) or in the presence of anti-CD3/CD28 TCR beads (T), cytokines (IL-12, 2ng/ml, IL-18, 50ng/ml, IL-15, 25ng/ml, and TL1A, 100ng/ml), or TCR beads and cytokines combined (TC). Illumina sequencing of human MAIT cells. 3 biological replicates of each of the following conditions: Human peripheral blood MAIT cell unstimulated. Human peripheral blood MAIT cells stimulated for 20 h with anti-CD3/CD28 beads. Human peripheral blood MAIT cells stimulated for 20 h with cytokines (IL-12, 2ng/ml, IL-18, 50ng/ml, IL-15, 25ng/ml, and TL1A, 100ng/ml). Human peripheral blood MAIT cells stimulated for 20 h with anti-CD3/CD28 beads and cytokines (IL-12, 2ng/ml, IL-18, 50ng/ml, IL-15, 25ng/ml, and TL1A, 100ng/ml). Full details of the study can be downloaded at https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/11/26/475913