A comparison between CD44+CD62L−CXCR5−CD8+ cells and CD44+CD62L−CXCR5+CD8+ cells, both isolated from spleen of P14 mice (with transgenic expression of a LCMV gp33-specific TCR) after 8 days of LCMV Docile strain infection, showed that the latter subpopulation had lower expression of granzymes A and B and perforin, in addition to a lower ability for ex vivo elimination of LCMV Ag-pulsed splenocytes (17). This evidence concerns the gene CD44 and infection.