CD27 is a thymic determinant of the balance between interferon-gamma- and interleukin 17-producing gammadelta T cell subsets.
The production of cytokines such as interferon-gamma and interleukin 17 by alphabeta and gammadelta T cells influences the outcome of immune responses. Here we show that most gammadelta T lymphocytes expressed the tumor necrosis factor receptor family member CD27 and secreted interferon-gamma, whereas interleukin 17 production was restricted to CD27(-) gammadelta T cells. In contrast to the apparent plasticity of alphabeta T cells, the cytokine profiles of these distinct gammadelta T cell subsets were essentially stable, even during infection. These phenotypes were established during thymic development, when CD27 functions as a regulator of the differentiation of gammadelta T cells at least in part by inducing expression of the lymphotoxin-beta receptor and genes associated with trans-conditioning and interferon-gamma production. Thus, the cytokine profiles of peripheral gammadelta T cells are predetermined mainly by a mechanism involving CD27.
Ribot
Julie C
JC
Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
deBarros
Ana
A
Pang
Dick John
DJ
Neves
Joana F
JF
Peperzak
Victor
V
Roberts
Scott J
SJ
Girardi
Michael
M
Borst
Jannie
J
Hayday
Adrian C
AC
Pennington
Daniel J
DJ
Silva-Santos
Bruno
B
D000818:Animals; D053282:CD27 Ligand / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology*; D054503:Lymphoid Progenitor Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D053259:Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / Q000276:immunology; D016779:Malaria, Cerebral / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010962:Plasmodium berghei; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D053282:CD27 Ligand; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053259:Lymphotoxin beta Receptor; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; D007371:Interferon-gamma