Antimicrobial activity of mucosal-associated invariant T cells.
Mucosal-associated invariant T lymphocytes (MAIT lymphocytes) are characterized by two evolutionarily conserved features: an invariant T cell antigen receptor (TCR) alpha-chain and restriction by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-related protein MR1. Here we show that MAIT cells were activated by cells infected with various strains of bacteria and yeast, but not cells infected with virus, in both humans and mice. This activation required cognate interaction between the invariant TCR and MR1, which can present a bacteria-derived ligand. In humans, we observed considerably fewer MAIT cells in blood from patients with bacterial infections such as tuberculosis. In the mouse, MAIT cells protected against infection by Mycobacterium abscessus or Escherichia coli. Thus, MAIT cells are evolutionarily conserved innate-like lymphocytes that sense and help fight off microbial infection.
Le Bourhis
Lionel
L
Département de Biologie des Tumeurs, Institut Curie, Paris, France.
Martin
Emmanuel
E
Péguillet
Isabelle
I
Guihot
Amélie
A
Froux
Nathalie
N
Coré
Maxime
M
Lévy
Eva
E
Dusseaux
Mathilde
M
Meyssonnier
Vanina
V
Premel
Virginie
V
Ngo
Charlotte
C
Riteau
Béatrice
B
Duban
Livine
L
Robert
Delphine
D
Huang
Shouxiong
S
Rottman
Martin
M
Soudais
Claire
C
Lantz
Olivier
O
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C094840:MR1 protein, human; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; C490628:Mr1 protein, mouse; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell