Figure 5. Direct TGF-β suppresses early influenza-specific Th1 precursor formation in the lung-draining MLN.
2 × 106 TGF-βRII+/+ CD4-cre+ (WT) or TGF-βRIIf/f CD4-cre+ (KO) Stg cells were adoptively transferred into C57BL/6 congenic recipients that were infected with WSN-GP33/66 the following day. On day 4–5 p.i., CD44hi Stg cells in the MLN were assessed for the indicated proteins (CD25, Ly6C, T-bet, IFN-γ, IL-2, Bcl6) by flow cytometry. Cells were stimulated with PMA and ionomycin for 4 hr to assess IFN-γ and IL-2. Bar graphs are representative of three independent experiments (n = 3–4 mice/group/experiment). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.005, ***p < 0.0005.