Open AccessHomeostatic regulation of intestinal epithelia by intraepithelial gamma delta T cells.
Author(s) -
Hajime Komano,
Yoshihisa Fujiura,
Mariko Kawaguchi,
Satoshi Matsumoto,
Yukio Hashimoto,
S Obana,
Peter Mombaerts,
Susumu Tonegawa,
Hiroshi Yamamoto,
Shigeyoshi Itohara
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.92.13.6147
Subject(s) - intraepithelial lymphocyte , microbiology and biotechnology , gamma delta t cell , biology , receptor , downregulation and upregulation , beta (programming language) , major histocompatibility complex , epithelium , t cell , t cell receptor , immunology , chemistry , antigen , immune system , genetics , gene , computer science , programming language
Although T cells bearing gamma delta T-cell receptors have long been known to be present in the epithelial lining of many organs, their specificity and function remain elusive. In the present study, we examined the intestinal epithelia of T-cell-receptor mutant mice, which were deficient in either gamma delta T cells or alpha beta T cells, and of normal littermates. The absence of gamma delta T cells was associated with a reduction in epithelial cell turnover and a downregulation of the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II molecules. No such effects were observed in alpha beta T-cell-deficient mice. These findings indicate that intraepithelial gamma delta T cells regulate the generation and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells.