For FACS sample preparation, cells were harvested and washed with FACS buffer. Cells were resuspended in FACS buffer at a concentration of 1–50 × 106 cells/mL and extracellular fluorescence-conjugated primary antibodies were added and mixed in. After a 20- to 60-minute incubation at 4°C, which was also protected from light exposure, the samples' cells were washed and resuspended with FACS buffer.
The flow cytometry assays were performed on FACSCanto I/II (BD Biosciences) and the acquired data were analyzed with FlowJo software (TreeStar). Cells were sorted to: Live/CD3+, separated for CD4+ or CD8+, TEMRA/TEM/TCM based on sorting out CD62L+/CD45RO− (naïve T cells). Cocultures were sorted for enrichment or into single reactive cells based on 41BB+/OX40+ (both double- and single-positive cells), Live/CD3+, separated for CD4+ or CD8+ by SH800S/MA900 instrument (Sony Biotechnology) or by FACSAria II (BD Biosciences).