CD4+ T Cell Help Guides Formation of CD103+ Lung-Resident Memory CD8+ T Cells during Influenza Viral Infection

Tissue-resident memory T (Trm) cells provide enhanced protection against infection at mucosal sites. Here we found that CD4+ T cells are important for the formation of functional lung-resident CD8+ T cells after influenza virus infection. In the absence of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells displayed reduced expression of CD103 (Itgae), were mislocalized away from airway epithelia, and demonstrated an impaired ability to recruit CD8+ T cells to the lung airways upon heterosubtypic challenge. CD4+ T cell-derived interferon-γ was necessary for generating lung-resident CD103+ CD8+ Trm cells. Furthermore, expression of the transcription factor T-bet was increased in “unhelped” lung Trm cells, and a reduction in T-bet rescued CD103 expression in the absence of CD4+ T cell help. Thus, CD4+ T cell-dependent signals are important to limit expression of T-bet and allow for the development of CD103+ CD8+ Trm cells in the lung airways following respiratory infection. [Display omitted] •CD4+ T cells help the development of flu-specific CD103+ CD8+ Trm cells•CD4+ T cell-derived IFN-γ is necessary for generating lung CD8+ Trm cells•T-bet represses lung CD8+ Trm cell formation and induction of CD103 by TGF-β•Reduction of T-bet restores CD103 expression on “unhelped” CD8+ T cells Tissue-resident memory T (Trm) cells protect against infection at mucosal sites. Craft and colleagues show that during viral infection, CD4+ T cell-dependent signals limit T-bet expression and allow CD103 upregulation necessary for Trm cell formation in the lung.