Fig. 3

IL-7 and IL-15 distinctly modulate expression of IL-7Rα and IL-15Rβ. a Mouse blood samples were analyzed by flow cytometry at indicated times after T-cell transfer. The percentages of transferred OT-I CD8⁺ T-cells in the total CD8⁺ T-cell population were assessed. b Naïve OT-I CD8⁺ T-cells cultured in medium containing OVA I peptide and IL-7 or IL-15 (10 ng/ml) were analyzed by flow cytometry at indicated times. Relative expression represents the ratio of mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) for expression of each molecule at indicated time points versus that at the beginning (0 h) in naïve T-cells. c Naïve OT-I CD8⁺ cells were activated in complete medium containing OVA I peptide and IL-2 for 3 days, followed by starvation in complete medium without cytokine for 5 h. The resulting cells were further in vitro re-stimulated with IL-7 or IL-15 (10 ng/ml). The re-stimulated T-cells were then analyzed by flow cytometry. Relative expression represents the ratio of MFI for expression of each molecule at indicated time points versus that at the beginning (0 min) in effector T-cells. d Blood samples (n = 4) analyzed by flow cytometry at indicated days. The double positive (OVA-tetramer and CD8) T-cells were gated for further assessing the expression of IL-7Rα and IL-15Rβ (solid lines). Gray shaded histograms represent isotype Ab controls. Relative expression represents the ratio of MFI for the expression of each molecule at indicated time points in transferred effector T-cells post T-cell transfer versus that in effector T-cells before T-cell transfer. *p < 0.05, *p < 0.01. One representative experiment of three is shown