Human MAIT cells undergo clonal selection and expansion during thymic maturation and aging.

ABSTRACT: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells harbor conserved T cell receptors (TCRs) recognizing riboflavin metabolites, yet exhibit substantial diversity similar to conventional memory T cells. However, the mechanisms shaping this diversity related to their thymic ontogeny remain unclear. Here we analyze 37 samples of human thymic MAIT cells across ages and compare them with other unconventional T cells, such as iNKT and γδ T cells. We find that CD27 and CD161 serve as common markers distinguishing the maturation stages of unconventional T cells such as MAIT, iNKT and Vγ9⁺Vδ2⁺ γδ T cells. Notably, CD161⁺ mature MAIT cells clonally expand proportionally to aging with the upregulation of genes associated with tissue residency. MAIT cell diversity is initiall

SUBMITTER: Lee MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12411618 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature