Figure 7.

ERK^SEM mice have fewer exhausted LCMV-specific CD8⁺ T cells and lower virus titers in the chronic phase of LCMV CL 13 infection. (A) The proportion (blood and spleen) and absolute number of CD8⁺Tetramer⁺ (GP33⁺ or GP276⁺) cells and the fraction of (B) KLRG1⁺, PD-1⁺, TIM3⁺, 2B4⁺, LAG3⁺, TIGIT⁺ or (C) PD-1⁺KLRG1⁻, Eomes⁺, PD-1 KLRG1⁺Eomes⁺ cells of CD8⁺Tetramer⁺ cells were quantified in the spleen of WT and ERK^SEM mice on Day 35 post LCMV CL13 infection. (D) The fraction of CD8⁺ T cells expressing IFNγ or CD107a was quantified in spleen cells isolated from WT and ERK^SEM mice on Day 35 post LCMV CL13 infection and restimulated with GP33 peptide or PMA and ionomycin (PI). (E) Virus titers in kidney of WT and ERK^SEM mice on Day 35 post LCMV CL13 infection. Data from N=12 mice/group pooled from 3 independent experiments are shown. N.S. = not significant, *p<0.05, **P<0.01, ***p<0.001, ****p<0.0001 by Student t-test.