Human interleukin-17-producing cells originate from a CD161+ CD4+ T-cell precursor.

Abstract We demonstrate that CD161 is a highly up-regulated gene in human interleukin (IL) 17 T helper cell (Th17) clones and that all IL-17–producing cells are contained in the CD161+ fraction of CD4+ T cells present in the circulation or in inflamed tissues, although they are not CD1-restricted natural killer T cells. More importantly, we show that all IL-17–producing cells originate from CD161+ naive CD4+ T cells of umbilical cord blood, as well as of the postnatal thymus, in response to the combined activity of IL-1 and IL-23. These findings implicate CD161 as a novel surface marker for human Th17 cells and demonstrate the exclusive origin of these cells from a CD161+ CD4+ T cell progenitor. Questo articolo è stato selezionato dalla Faculty of 1000 Medicine (the expert guide to the most important advances in Medicine), riportando un F1000 factor di 6 (range 3-9), e dalla Faculty of 1000 Biology (the expert guide to the most important advances in biology), riportando un F1000 factor di 6 (range 3-9)