Lymphotoxin and the amazing technicolor circus of intestinal homeostasis.
Recently a new lymphocyte subset called innate lymphoid cells has emerged and it includes key producers of interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22 in the mucosal environment. Using Citrobacter rodentium infection to deliver a pathogenic insult to the colon, two studies have revealed an underlying role for lymphotoxin-β receptor signaling in the generation of IL-22 by these cells. This observation links a system well known for its ability to organize lymphoid microenvironments into a basic mucosal response.
Department of Immunobiology, Biogen Idec, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. jeff.browning@biogenidec.com
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D000818:Animals; D044082:Citrobacter rodentium / Q000276:immunology*; D003106:Colon / Q000276:immunology; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D053259:Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / Q000276:immunology; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D000097043:Interleukin-22
D020381:Interleukin-17; D007378:Interleukins; D053259:Lymphotoxin beta Receptor; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D000097043:Interleukin-22