Fig 2: Identification of a KC subset with enriched IL-2 sensing machinery(A) Representative flow cytometry plot of KC1 and KC2 gating strategy. KCs are identified as live, CD45+, CD11bint, F4/80+, MHCII+, TIM4+ liver non-parenchymal cells. KC1 are defined as ESAM- CD206- KCs. KC2 are defined as ESAM+ CD206+ KCs.(B) Relative representation of KC1 and KC2 percentages in the liver of C57BL/6 mice (n = 15).(C) Representative confocal immunofluorescence micrographs of liver sections from C57BL/6 mice. Sinusoids were identified as CD38+ cells and are depicted in white. CD206+ cells are depicted in red and F4/80+ cells in green. Scale bars represent 50 or 10 µm (see also Video S1).(D) GSEA relative to the IL-2 pathway enrichment in KC2 (red) and KC1 (blue) samples. Genes were pre-ranked on the basis of the log2 fold change between KC2 and KC1.(E) Heatmap representing the relative expression of the IL-2 receptor signaling components in KC1 and KC2 isolated from C57BL/6 mice (n = 3 per group). Values in log2(TPM) were scaled by row across samples (Z score).(F and G) Representative flow cytometry plots (F) and MFI (G) of CD25, CD122, and CD132 expression in KC1, KC2, and LSEC (defined as live, CD45-, CD31+ cells) in C57BL/6 mice (n = 3 per group). *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01, two-way ANOVA with Sidak’s multiple-comparison test.(H–J) MFI of H2-Kb (H), CD40 (I), and CD80 (J) expression on KC1 (blue) and KC2 (red) 48 h after PBS or IL-2c treatment in vivo (n = 3 per group). *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01, two-way ANOVA with Sidak’s multiple-comparison test. Test is performed comparing PBS versus IL-2c treatment and KC1 versus KC2.(K) Schematic representation of the experimental setup. HBV Tg mice were injected with 1 × 106 Cor93 TN cells. Mice were treated with PBS or IL-2c 1 day after Cor93 TN transfer. Livers were collected and analyzed 5 days after TN transfer. Representative flow cytometry plots (bottom) of KC1 and KC2 in the livers upon PBS (left) or IL-2c (right) treatment.(L–N) Ratio between KC1 and KC2 (L) and absolute numbers of KC1 (M) and KC2 (N) in the liver of PBS-treated (blue) or IL-2c-treated (red) mice. n = 4; *p < 0.05, one-tailed Mann-Whitney U test.Data are representative of at least three independent experiments. See also Figure S5, Table S4, and Video S1.