Background and aims: The recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells in the liver delineates the transition from hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis (SH).
Approach and results: We found that in SH, γδT cells are recruited to the liver by C-C chemokine receptor (CCR) 2, CCR5, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 signaling and are skewed toward an interleukin (IL)-17A+ phenotype in an inducible costimulator (ICOS)/ICOS ligand-dependent manner. γδT cells exhibit a distinct Vγ4+ , PD1+ , Ly6C+ CD44+ phenotype in SH. Moreover, γδT cells up-regulate both CD1d, which is necessary for lipid-based antigens presentation, and the free fatty acid receptor, CD36. γδT cells are stimulated to express IL-17A by palmitic acid and CD1d ligation. Deletion, depletion, and targeted interruption of γδT cell recruitment protects against diet-induced SH and accelerates disease resolution.
Conclusions: We demonstrate that hepatic γδT cells exacerbate SH, independent of IL-17 expression, by mitigating conventional CD4+ T-cell expansion and modulating their inflammatory program by CD1d-dependent vascular endothelial growth factor expression.
© 2019 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.