Nat Commun: The study reveals subtypes and differentiation pathways in natural T cells.

September 3, 2020 // --- Memory cells are present inside the immune system that remember previously encountered pathogens and react quickly and strongly when they come into contact with them again.
a recent study, researchers from South Korea discovered the development of immune cells, a process that allows these memory cells to form early without encountering pathogens.
understanding of the development of these cells, it is expected to overcome the immune disorders caused by various infectious diseases or malignant tumors.
the study was carried out in collaboration with a joint research group of the Korea Institute of Advanced Science and Technology (KAIST) and Yonse University Health System, led by You Jeong Lee and Professor Sanguk Kim of the Posco Institute of Science and Technology (POSTECH).
the findings were published August 31 in the journal nature communications.
(Photo: www.pixabay.com) T cells play a vital role in eliminating pathogens and cancer cells such as viruses, bacteria and fungi.
recently discovered innocular T cells exist in active form from the developmental stage, accounting for 20 to 30 percent of all T cells, but their production process or effects are not known.
team focused on the development of three congenital T-cells commonly found in humans and mice: natural killer T-cells, gamma-t-T cells, and MAIT cells.
Through single-cell genomic analysis, these cells are thought to have completely different developmental systems and functions, they actually share the same development path from each pregenuity, and have been found to differentiate into functional subtypes that secrete the same cytokines, such as IFN-cymbals, IL-4s, AND-17s.
mice had many naturally lethal T-cells when examining the composition of congenital T-cell subtypes, while people had many MAIT cells or gamma-t-T cells.
As a result, natural killer T cells that secrete interferon in mice have been shown to have strong anti-cancer and antiviral properties, but it is difficult to expect the same effect in people with very small numbers of natural killer T-cells.
study found that human MAIT cells, or gamma-T cells, are functionally equivalent to the natural killer T cells in mice.
the team predicts that immunotherapy using MAIT and gamma-T cells that can secrete interferon in the human body will have the same anti-cancer and antiviral effects as it would in mice in the future.
(bioon.com) Source: Subtypes and developmental pathways of innate T cells identified Original source: Minji Lee et al, Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies shared sources of paths of the mouse thymic innate T cells, Nature Communications (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18155-8.