Fig. 7.

Bacterially-exposed primary human biliary epithelial cells activate both blood and liver MAIT cells in an MR1 dependent manner. Biliary epithelial cells exposed to E. coli were co-cultured with sorted blood CD8⁺ (A and B) or liver CD3⁺ (C) T cells and activation of CD161⁺⁺ Va7.2⁺ MAIT cells examined by flow cytometry for CD107a, IFNγ-, TNFα, CD40L. Dependency on MR1 or cytokines IL-12 and IL-18 was assessed using function-blocking antibodies. Data are mean ± SEM (A and B) and median ± interquartile range (C). In overlays: untreated (shaded); E. coli (solid line); E. coli + αMR1 (dotted line). ∗p <0.05; ∗∗∗p <0.001 by t test. UT = untreated.