{
  "abstract": "Genetic ablation approaches are routinely used to establish gene function, but these are not beyond limitations. The intracellularly expressed camelid single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), or nanobodies, can specifically disrupt molecular interactions and, therefore, help ascertain their role in the process of cellular differentiation. The approach has not been evaluated in differentiating T cells or the stimulating DCs during viral infection. We modified the intracellular response of Galectin-3 (Gal-3) using an -Gal-3 intrabody (IB) in antigen-specific CD8+ T cells and assessed their differentiation patterns during a resolving Influenza A virus encoding SIINFEKL epitope (IAV: WSN-SIINFEKL). The -Gal-3 IB expressors, compared to the cells genetically depleted of Gal-3, exhibit a significantly prolonged activation, enhanced proliferation, and elevated cytokine production following in vitro stimulation. The -Gal-3 IB expressing cells show enhanced functionality and generate an efficient effector response, favoring the generation of memory precursor effector cells (MPECs: CD127hiKLRG1lo) over short-lived effector cells (SLECs: CD127loKLRG1hi) in IAV-infected animals. Such a differentiation pattern results in improved differentiation of effector memory (CD44hiCD62LloCCR7lo) cells amongst the -Gal-3 IB-expressing cells. The generated memory cells are efficiently recalled upon challenge infection with MHV68-SIINFEKL and help control the infection better. Therefore, modifying the intracellular response of Gal-3 using a sdAb could improve the primary and memory response of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Y. J. Singh"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "S. Sehrawat"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bx7xm9ckvyhsn.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.16.751996",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.16.751996v1.full",
  "id": "bx7xm9ckvyhsn",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.16.751996v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "immunology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2403|T-cell and B-cell Immunology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213647715",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.16.751996v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-16",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bx7xm9ckvyhsn.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:23:10Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.16.751996",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.16.751996v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:immunology",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "An anti-Galectin-3 intrabody improves primary and memory response of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells during viral infection",
  "title_text": "An anti-Galectin-3 intrabody improves primary and memory response of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells during viral infection",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:23:10Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bx7xm9ckvyhsn",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}