Cited by 1,232T-cell and B-cell ImmunologyPsoriasis: Treatment and PathogenesisImmune Cell Function and Interaction

Six-of-the-best: unique contributions of γδ T cells to immunology

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Vantourout, Pierre, Hayday, Adrian·2013·Nature Reviews Immunology

Abstract

γδ T cells are a unique and conserved population of lymphocytes that have been the subject of a recent explosion of interest owing to their essential contributions to many types of immune response and immunopathology. But what does the integration of recent and long-established studies really tell us about these cells and their place in immunology? The time is ripe to consider the evidence for their unique and crucial functions. We conclude that whereas B cells and αβ T cells are commonly thought to contribute primarily to the antigen-specific effector and memory phases of immunity, γδ T cells are distinct in that they combine conventional adaptive features (inherent in their T cell receptors and pleiotropic effector functions) with rapid, innate-like responses that can place them in the initiation phase of immune reactions. This underpins a revised perspective on lymphocyte biology and the regulation of immunogenicity.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nri3384

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137 of 137 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The γδ T pool residing in a given tissue is the result of the wave of development from fetal to adult life, referred to as layered ontogeny.

    “From further mouse studies, it is nonetheless becoming increasingly clearer that the γδ T pool residing in a given tissue is the result of the wave of development from fetal to adult life, referred to as layered ontogeny (8).”

    From Comparing Mouse and Human Tissue-Resident γδ T Cells (2022) · cites this paper as [8]

    In “Selective homing and retention” (page unavailable), the paper describes successive developmental waves homing to different mouse tissues, but says this explains tissue-localised compartments only “in part”; retention also matters. In “γδ T cells and ontogeny” (page unavailable), it says fetal-origin cells may persist into adulthood and combine with cells from postnatal progenitors. The claim overstates this qualified account as a settled explanation for the pool in any given tissue. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The double-negative T-cell fraction in the meninges has a high representation of γδ-TCR-expressing cells.

    “Flow cytometric analysis revealed a high representation of γδ-T cell receptor (TCR)-expressing cells in the double-negative (DN) T-cell fraction (Extended Data Fig. 1a), a recently reported population in the meninges7,8.”
  • Meningeal γδ T cells are linked to short-term memory via IL-17a signaling in glial cells.

    “More recently, meningeal γδ T cells were linked to short-term memory via IL-17a signaling in glial cells7.”
  • The finding that commensal-derived signals regulate IL-17a transcription by meningeal γδ17 cells is in disagreement with previously published work, which may have missed commensal participation by assessing IL-17a expression by ex vivo stimulation.

    “This is in disagreement with the previously published work7, which may have missed the commensal participation by assessing IL-17a expression by ex vivo stimulation.”

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Authors
Vantourout, P., & Hayday, A.
Affiliations
  • Cancer Research UK (GB)
  • St Thomas' Hospital (GB)
Corresponding author
Hayday, Adrian
Venue
Nature Reviews Immunology
Published
2013-01-25
Volume
13
Issue
2
Pages
88-100
ISSN
  • 1474-1733 (ISSN-L)
  • 1474-1741
OpenAlex
W1512693074
Cited by
1,232
References
137
Citations by year
2026: 68 · 2025: 81 · 2024: 82 · 2023: 80 · 2022: 97 · 2021: 121 · 2020: 112 · 2019: 95 · 2018: 112 · 2017: 102 · 2016: 83 · 2015: 79 · 2014: 79 · 2013: 40
FWCI
8.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature reviews. Immunology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (085780)
  • Cancer Research UK (19309)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › T-cell and B-cell Immunology
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Psoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune Cell Function and Interaction
Keywords
γδ T cells, alpha beta T cells, T cell receptor, lymphocyte biology, immunopathology, immune response initiation, B cells
MeSH terms
Animals, Antigens, Humans, Immunity, Lymphocyte Activation, Protein Binding, T-Lymphocytes, Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta

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