T/NK cell population is divided into two clusters based on their
functions
T cells are broadly classified into two subsets namely
CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells based
on their expression of markers and functions. In the present study,
CD4+ and CD8+ cells were categorized
as cluster 2 and cluster 1 respectively (Figure 1a) and were
further subdivided into 9 subgroups (T0–8) (Figure 3a) . T0
subclusters contained genes expressing CD2, CD3D, CD3G and low CD8A
along with significant expression of NKG7, GZMH and GZMB, a classic NK
cell feature, and were therefore classified as cytotoxic NKT cells(Figure 3b, c, d) (25). T1 subcluster consisted of genes
expressing IL7R, MAL, and CCR7, an indicator of CD4+ T
cell maturation (Figure 3b, d) (24, 26, 27). T2 subcluster
consisted of GZMB, GZMA, high GNLY, NKG7, and FCGR3A (CD16) with low
CD3D and CD3G expression and were classified as
CD56dim CD16+ NK cells(Figure 3b, c) (25, 28, 29). T3 consisted of IL7R, MAL, CCR7
genes with significantly higher CD69 expression, indicating more active
CD4+ T cell (Figure 3d) (24, 26, 27, 30). T4
consisted of genes featuring NK cell markers (NKG7 and GNLY) and genes
with role in antigen recognition and presentation (LYZ, S100A8, and
S100A9) and were identified as NK cell-derived antigen-presenting cells
(APCs) (Figure 3b, d) (28, 29). T5 was considered as an unknown
group with fewer genes. T6 were identified as NK cells (low GNLY, NKG7;
high NKTR) with high XIST1 and SYNE2 indicating autophagic NK cells with
low ribosomal expression (Figure 3b, d) (28, 29). Similar to the
previous NK cells, T7 subgroup (GNLY, NKG7, high CD7, XCL1, and XCL2)
was classified as cytokine induced memory like NK cells (CIML)(Figure 3d) (28, 29) and T8 (high GNLY and NKG7, IFIT2, IFIT3,
IFNG, and PMAIP1) was identified as cytokine secreting
CD56neg NK cells (Figure 3b) (28, 29).