Group 2 innate lymphoid cells license dendritic cells to potentiate memory TH2 cell responses

Nat Immunol. 2016 Jan;17(1):57-64. doi: 10.1038/ni.3294. Epub 2015 Nov 2.

Abstract

Rapid activation of memory CD4(+) T helper 2 (TH2) cells during allergic inflammation requires their recruitment into the affected tissue. Here we demonstrate that group 2 innate lymphoid (ILC2) cells have a crucial role in memory TH2 cell responses, with targeted depletion of ILC2 cells profoundly impairing TH2 cell localization to the lungs and skin of sensitized mice after allergen re-challenge. ILC2-derived interleukin 13 (IL-13) is critical for eliciting production of the TH2 cell-attracting chemokine CCL17 by IRF4(+)CD11b(+)CD103(-) dendritic cells (DCs). Consequently, the sentinel function of DCs is contingent on ILC2 cells for the generation of an efficient memory TH2 cell response. These results elucidate a key innate mechanism in the regulation of the immune memory response to allergens.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Immunologic Memory / immunology*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology*
  • Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*