Differential gene expression identifies novel markers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell activation following stimulation by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

T cell activation in response to antigenic stimulation is a complex process, involving changes in the expression level of a large number of genes. We have used cDNA array technology to characterize the differences in gene expression between human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. PBMC from six healthy donors were stimulated with live Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the gene expression profiles of each donor's CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were analyzed separately. ANOVA revealed 518 genes that were consistently differentially expressed between CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. These differentially expressed genes include a combination of well-known, previously characterized genes with a range of biological functions and unknown in silico predicted hypothetical genes. Where possible, the novel genes have been characterized using bioinformatics, and putative transcription factors, signaling molecules, transmembrane, and secreted factors have been identified. A subset of these differentially expressed genes could be exploited as markers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell activation for use in vaccine trials. These observed differences in the gene expression profile of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells following activation by a human pathogen contribute to an increased understanding of T cell activation and differentiation and the roles these T cell subsets may play in immunity to infection.