1 research outputs found
Overlap of cytokine and transcription factor expression in T helper cell subsets
Until recently, CD4THelper (T) cells were thought to be permanently committed to a single lineage (e.g. T1, T17, T2 etc.). However there is now increasing evidence that T cells are plastic in nature and can gain phenotypic feature of other TH cells. Within this study I have investigated the overlap and plasticity of T1 cells and their presence in health and in the inflammatory setting of multiple sclerosis.
Although CCR6 is considered a T17 marker there are other Tcell subsets that express CCR6. I have identified a novel subset of T1 cells that express functional CCR6. CCR6T1 cells transcriptionally express 'T17'-related genes (e.g. RORC, IL-23R and IL4I1) but are distinct from IFNIL-17 cells that also express CCR6, RORC and T-bet. Additionally I have identified candidate miRNAs that may play a role in controlling phenotypic features of these cells. T17 cells have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis and enter the cerebrospinal fluid through CCR6-dependent migration. CCR6IFN cells were increased within the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis, suggesting a possible role in disease pathogenesis