Assays Show Human Gamma-delta T cells Specific for Common Allergens Are Th1-polarized in Allergic Donors

Overview

Journal Cell Rep Methods

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2023 Jan 2

PMID 36590684

Authors

Esther Dawen Yu

Eric Wang

Emily Garrigan

Aaron Sutherland

Natalie Khalil

Kendall Kearns

John Pham

Veronique Schulten

Bjoern Peters

April Frazier

Alessandro Sette

Ricardo Da Silva Antunes

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Gamma-delta (γδ) T cells contribute to the pathology of many immune-related diseases; however, no assays to study their activities are currently available. Here, we established a methodology to characterize human allergen-reactive γδ T cells in peripheral blood using an activation-induced marker assay targeting upregulated 4-1BB and CD69 expression. Broad and reproducible allergen-reactive γδ T cell responses were detected in donors sensitized to mouse, cockroach, house dust mite, and timothy grass, but the response did not differ from that in non-allergic participants. The reactivity to 4 different allergen extracts was readily detected in 54.2%-100% of allergic subjects in a donor- and allergen-specific pattern and was abrogated by T cell receptor (TCR) blocking. Analysis of CD40L upregulation and intracellular cytokine staining revealed a T helper type 1 (Th1)-polarized response against mouse and cockroach extract stimulation. These results support the existence of allergen-reactive γδ T cells and their potential use in rebalancing dysregulated Th2 responses in allergic diseases.

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