Analysis of the immune transcriptome of KLECs. (A) Schematic representation and functional grouping of the 899 genes used for immune transcriptome analysis. The numbers of Affymetrix hg-u133+2 GeneChip probe-sets and genes for each group are shown in parentheses. (B) Spindle-shaped KLECs were 40% to 50% GFP⁺ 3 to 4 days after infection. (C) Plot showing the difference between the average linkage distance of LEC and KLEC immune transcriptomes to that of KS, for the whole immune group, and for each functional group. Negative values indicate a drift of the transcriptome toward KS after infection. A drift toward KS is observed for the 3 immune-specific groups (in red). P values are shown to indicate significance (see “Materials and methods” for P value calculation). (D) Schematic representation of our GEM data showing that expression of genes involved in class I antigen presentation is higher in KLECs than LECs (q < 0.005). Up-regulated genes are shown in red, whereas unaffected genes are shown in black. Expression of β₂-m, ICAM-1, LMP2, LMP7, TAP1, TAP2, and HLA-C is also significantly higher in KS compared to normal skin (q < 0.01). Black circles represent antigenic peptides. MHC-IHC indicates MHC-I heavy chain; LMP, large multifunctional peptidase; MECL1, multicatalytic endopeptidase complex subunit 1; TAP, transporter associated with antigen processing; ERp57, endoplasmic reticulum P58; β2m, β₂-microglobulin; ICAM, intercellular adhesion molecule; LFA, lymphocyte function-associated antigen; TCR, T-cell receptor.