Open AccessCutting Edge: Phenotypic Characterization and Differentiation of Human CD8+ T Cells Producing IL-17
Author(s) -
Takaaki Kondo,
Hiroshi Takata,
Fumichika Matsuki,
Masafumi Takiguchi
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the journal of immunology/the journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.737
H-Index - 372
eISSN - 1550-6606
pISSN - 0022-1767
DOI - 10.4049/jimmunol.0801347
Subject(s) - cd28 , phenotype , cd8 , cytotoxic t cell , biology , interleukin 21 , immunology , population , c c chemokine receptor type 6 , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , immune system , genetics , medicine , gene , chemokine , environmental health , chemokine receptor
Although IL-17-producing CD8(+) T cells (Tc17 cells) have recently been identified, the detailed information about these cells still remains unclear. In this article we describe a study investigating the phenotype and differentiation of human Tc17 cells. Human Tc17 cells were detected in a minor population of CD8(+) T cells and were predominantly found in CD27(-/+)CD28(+)CD45RA(-) memory subsets. They also expressed CCR6 and a high level of CCR5. Though most Tc17 cells produced IFN-gamma, a small part of the Tc17 cell population was IFN-gamma negative in some individuals. Analysis of the in vitro induction of Tc17 cells showed that these cells were induced from the CD27(+)CD28(+)CD45RA(+) naive subset and that they expressed the CD27(-)CD28(+)CD45RA(-) and CCR6(+) phenotype. These results together indicate that Tc17 cells have a unique phenotype and suggest that they differentiate from the same precursors that differentiate into IFN-gamma-producing CD8(+) T cells.