Blimp-1 Transcription Factor Is Required for the Differentiation of Effector CD8 T Cells and Memory Responses

Abstract

In response to viral infection, naive CD8+ T cells proliferate and differentiate into cytotoxic and cytokine-producing effector cells. Here we showed that the transcription factor Blimp-1, a crucial regulator of plasma cell differentiation, was required for CD8+ T cells to differentiate into functional killer T cells in response to influenza virus. Blimp-1 was not essential for the generation of memory T cells but was crucial for their efficient recall response upon reinfection. Antigen-specific Blimp-1-deficient CD8+ T cells failed to appropriately regulate the transcriptional program essential for killer T cell responses and showed impaired migration to the site of infection. This study id..