IL-17 producing gammadelta T cells are required for a controlled inflammatory response after bleomycin-induced lung injury.
BACKGROUND
gammadelta T cells play a key role in the regulation of inflammatory responses in epithelial tissue, and in adaptive immunity, as gammadelta T cell deficient mice have a severely impaired capacity to clear lung pathogens. gammadelta T cells regulate the initial inflammatory response to microbial invasion and thereby protect against tissue injury. Here we examined the response of gammadelta T cells to lung injury induced by bleomycin, in an effort to study the inflammatory response in the absence of any adaptive immune response to a pathogen.


RESULTS
After lung injury by bleomycin, we localized the gammadelta T cells to the lung lesions. gammadelta T cells were the predominant source of IL-17 (as detected by flow cytometry and real-time PCR). Moreover, gammadelta T cell knockout mice showed a significant reduction in cellular infiltration into the airways, reduced expression of IL-6 in the lung, and a significant delay in epithelial repair.


CONCLUSIONS
Mouse gammadelta T cells produce IL-17 in response to lung injury and are required for an organized inflammatory response and epithelial repair. The lack of gammadelta T cells correlates with increased inflammation and fibrosis.
Braun
Ruedi K
RK
Department of Thoracic and CV Surgery, Loyola University, Maywood, Illinois, USA. rubraun@lumc.edu
Ferrick
Christina
C
Neubauer
Paul
P
Sjoding
Michael
M
Sterner-Kock
Anja
A
Kock
Martin
M
Putney
Lei
L
Ferrick
David A
DA
Hyde
Dallas M
DM
Love
Robert B
RB
D000818:Animals; D001761:Bleomycin; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D020381:Interleukin-17; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D001761:Bleomycin; D003094:Collagen