Figure 3. RNA expression patterns confirm that T_FR share T_FH and T_REG like phenotype.

(A) Principal components analysis of RNA transcripts from five healthy, SIV-uninfected RM. Each circle represents the transcriptome of a sorted population of T_FH (blue), T_REG (green), or T_FR (red) from a single animal. (B) Expression in FPKM of select T_FH and T_REG genes in sorted populations from uninfected RM. (C) Heat map of log 2 transformed gene expression of transcripts in FPKM. Transcripts represent T_FH and T_REG signature genes. The T_FH gene signature was defined as transcripts that were significantly differentially expressed in sorted T_FH compared to bulk CD4⁺ T-cells. T_REG gene signature was defined as genes that were significantly differentially expressed in sorted T_REG compared to bulk CD4⁺ T-cells. (D) Expression pattern of key T_FH and T_REG genes in sorted bulk CD4⁺ T-cell, T_FH, T_FR and T_REG populations.