Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE65921: Neonatal nave CD8+ T cells have effector-like gene expression that prevents memory cell formation [3'UTR-seq]

Bulk RNA sequencing

Neonates are intrinsically defective at creating memory CD8+ T cells in response to infection with intracellular pathogens. Here we investigated differential of small RNAs, transcription factors, and chemokine receptors regulation in neonates as compared to adults before and during infection. We found that prior to infection, nave cells have a different expression profile for many microRNAs, and gene targets of these microRNAs show widespread expression differences. These targets and other changes in gene expression in nave cells result in neonatal cells that get activated more easily, express chemokine receptors that home to sites of infection, and are less protected from apoptosis during contraction. As a result, changes in neonatal nave cells drive effector cell terminal differentiation at the expense of creating long-lived memory cells. SOURCE: Andrew Grimson Cornell University