Proinflammatory T helper type 17 cells are effective B-cell helpers.

ABSTRACT: T helper type 17 (TH17) cells are highly proinflammatory effector T cells that are characterized by the production of high amounts of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, and IL-22. Furthermore, TH17 cells have been associated with a number of autoimmune diseases. However, it is not clear whether TH17 cells can also serve as effective helper cells. Here we show that TH17 cells can function as B-cell helpers in that they not only induce a strong proliferative response of B cells in vitro but also trigger antibody production with class switch recombination in vivo. Transfer of TH17 cells into WT or T-cell receptor alpha-deficient mice, which lack endogenous T cells, induces a pronounced antibody response with preferential isotype class switching to IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgG3, as well as the formation of

SUBMITTER: Mitsdoerffer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2922571 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature