(J-364) Single-Cell Analysis of the T Cell Response in Murine Foreign Body Response

The foreign body response (FBR) is an immune response occurring when a foreign material, such as an implant, is inserted into the body. The FBR is conventionally characterized by protein adhesion, complement activation, migration of inflammatory innate immune cells, fusion of macrophages to form foreign body giant cells, and fibroblast activation. Though FBR research has focused on the innate immune response, T cells have been shown to contribute to development of fibrosis through cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. In this project, we pair gene expression with receptor sequencing to probe not only the T cell phenotypic response to the FBR but also how T cell receptor clonality affects T cell engagement. Using a mouse model of fibrosis, we have collected single-cell resolution T cell data at multiple time points to study the evolution of the fibrotic response.