Open AccessAntigen-specific memory and naïve CD4+ T cells following secondary Chlamydia trachomatis infection
Author(s) -
Jennifer D. Helble,
Alexander O Mann,
Michael N. Starnbach
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0240670
Subject(s) - chlamydia trachomatis , antigen , biology , antigen presenting cell , immunology , lymph node , t cell , interleukin 21 , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , immune system , cd8
Memory antigen-specific CD4 + T cells against Chlamydia trachomatis are necessary for protection against secondary genital tract infection. While it is known that naïve antigen-specific CD4 + T cells can traffic to the genital tract in an antigen-specific manner, these T cells are not protective during primary infection. Here, we sought to compare the differences between memory and naïve antigen-specific CD4 + T cells in the same mouse following secondary infection using transgenic CD4 + T cells (NR1 T cells). Using RNA sequencing, we found that there were subtle but distinct differences between these two T cell populations. Naïve NR1 T cells significantly upregulated cell cycle genes and were more proliferative than memory NR1 T cells in the draining lymph node. In contrast, memory NR1 T cells were more activated than naïve NR1 T cells and were enriched in the genital tract. Together, our data provide insight into the differences between memory and naïve antigen-specific CD4 + T cells during C . trachomatis infection.