| First Author | McGuire HM | Year | 2011 |
| Journal | Immunity | Volume | 34 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | 602-15 |
| PubMed ID | 21511186 | Mgi Jnum | J:171596 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4950614 | Doi | 10.1016/j.immuni.2011.01.021 |
| Citation | McGuire HM, et al. (2011) A Subset of Interleukin-21(+) Chemokine Receptor CCR9(+) T Helper Cells Target Accessory Organs of the Digestive System in Autoimmunity. Immunity 34(4):602-15 |
| abstractText | This study describes a CD4(+) T helper (Th) cell subset marked by coexpression of the cytokine interleukin 21 (IL-21) and the gut-homing chemokine receptor CCR9. Although CCR9(+) Th cells were observed in healthy mice and humans, they were enriched in the inflamed pancreas and salivary glands of NOD mice and in the circulation of Sjogren's syndrome patients. CCR9(+) Th cells expressed large amounts of IL-21, inducible T cell costimulator (ICOS), and the transcription factors Bcl6 and Maf, and also supported antibody production from B cells, thereby resembling T follicular B helper (Tfh) cells. However, in contrast to Tfh cells, CCR9(+) Th cells displayed limited expression of CXCR5 and the targets of CCR9(+) Th cells were CD8(+) T cells whose responsiveness to IL-21 was necessary for the development of diabetes. Thus, CCR9(+) Th cells are a subset of IL-21-producing T helper cells that influence regional specification of autoimmune diseases that affect accessory organs of the digestive system. |
