CX3CL1 and atherosclerosis: IL-7Rαlow EM CD8+ T cells also produce much higher levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α and were found to have increased expression of inflammatory chemokine receptors such as CX3CR1 which binds its ligand CX3CL1 (fractalkine), a chemokine involved in inflammatory conditions like atherosclerosis [17, 37].