Publication Date:
2006-11-16
Description:
Although memory lymphocytes in CD4, CD8 and B cell lineages are characterized by a strikingly diverse array of functions and phenotypes, they share common properties of longevity, lowered response threshold and the ability to self-renew. The development of these memory functions is essential for immunity to pathogens and tumors, but it is not known how diverse lineages acquire these same properties. We therefore studied the transcriptional profile of memory differentiation to determine whether the development of memory in disparate lineages involves a common differentiation program. To identify a core signature of memory differentiation, we used cross-species genomic analysis to identify genes differentially expressed by both human and murine memory CD8 T cells compared to their naive precursors. We identified 220 genes significantly increased in human memory-phenotype cells, and found this signature to be highly conserved in two different TCR transgenic murine models of memory differentiation (P
Print ISSN:
0006-4971
Electronic ISSN:
1528-0020
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
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