White Adipose Tissue Is a Reservoir for Memory T Cells and Promotes Protective Memory Responses to Infection

Immunity. 2017 Dec 19;47(6):1154-1168.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2017.11.009. Epub 2017 Dec 5.

Abstract

White adipose tissue bridges body organs and plays a fundamental role in host metabolism. To what extent adipose tissue also contributes to immune surveillance and long-term protective defense remains largely unknown. Here, we have shown that at steady state, white adipose tissue contained abundant memory lymphocyte populations. After infection, white adipose tissue accumulated large numbers of pathogen-specific memory T cells, including tissue-resident cells. Memory T cells in white adipose tissue expressed a distinct metabolic profile, and white adipose tissue from previously infected mice was sufficient to protect uninfected mice from lethal pathogen challenge. Induction of recall responses within white adipose tissue was associated with the collapse of lipid metabolism in favor of antimicrobial responses. Our results suggest that white adipose tissue represents a memory T cell reservoir that provides potent and rapid effector memory responses, positioning this compartment as a potential major contributor to immunological memory.

Keywords: T cells; adipocytes; adipose tissue; central memory T cells; effector memory T cells; infection; lipids; memory; metabolism; resident memory T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue, White / immunology
  • Adipose Tissue, White / transplantation*
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / microbiology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / parasitology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / microbiology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / parasitology
  • Gene Expression
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Immunologic Memory*
  • Interferon-gamma / genetics
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interleukin-17 / genetics
  • Interleukin-17 / immunology
  • Interleukin-5 / genetics
  • Interleukin-5 / immunology
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tissue Transplantation
  • Toxoplasma / immunology
  • Toxoplasmosis / genetics
  • Toxoplasmosis / immunology*
  • Toxoplasmosis / mortality
  • Toxoplasmosis / parasitology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / immunology
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis / immunology
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infections / genetics
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infections / immunology*
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infections / microbiology
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infections / mortality

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Interleukin-17
  • Interleukin-5
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria
  • Interferon-gamma