Innate T cells in the intensive care unit

Mol Immunol. 2019 Jan:105:213-223. doi: 10.1016/j.molimm.2018.09.026. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Abstract

Rapid onset of acute inflammation is a hallmark of critical illnesses that bring patients to the intensive care unit (ICU). In critical illness, innate T cells rapidly reach full activation and drive a robust acute inflammatory response. As "cellular adjuvants," innate T cells worsen inflammation and mortality in several common critical illnesses including sepsis, ischemia-reperfusion injury, stroke, and exacerbations of respiratory disease. Interestingly, innate T cell subsets can also promote a protective and anti-inflammatory response in sepsis, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and asthma. Therapies that target innate T cells have been validated in several models of critical illness. Here, we review the role of natural killer T (NKT) cells, mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and γδ T cells in clinical and experimental critical illness.

Keywords: Cardiac arrest; Critical care; Gamma delta T cell; MAIT cell; NKT cell; Sepsis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Asthma* / immunology
  • Asthma* / mortality
  • Asthma* / pathology
  • Asthma* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Intensive Care Units*
  • Natural Killer T-Cells* / immunology
  • Natural Killer T-Cells* / pathology
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / immunology
  • Reperfusion Injury* / immunology
  • Reperfusion Injury* / mortality
  • Reperfusion Injury* / pathology
  • Reperfusion Injury* / therapy
  • Sepsis* / immunology
  • Sepsis* / mortality
  • Sepsis* / pathology
  • Sepsis* / therapy

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta