Fig 7. Global gene expression profile with RNA-Seq identified genes down- or up-regulated by RORγt inverse agonists in human CD4 T cells during Th17 differentiation.

RNA sequencing profile was performed on RNA samples extracted from human CD4 T cells treated with 3 different RORγt inverse agonists at 2 concentrations as described in S1 Table. Genes down-regulated (A) or up-regulated (B) by RORγt inverse agonists were identified in analysis of RNA-Seq data using the criteria described in Materials and Methods. Each column represents log2 ratios of selected genes in one of the 72 comparisons, including comparison of untreated Th17 cells with RORγt or RORα siRNA transfected cells or RORγt inverse agonist treated cells at two time points and T cells from 2 independent donors. Genes down-regulated by RORγt inverse agonists in Th17 cells identified from RNA-Seq analysis were confirmed by RTPCR of donor 1 samples as described in Materials and Methods (C). Heat map of log2 ratios of gene expression in response to treatment of RORγt inverse agonists determined by RNA-Seq and RTPCR were compared.