Retinoic acid determines the precise tissue tropism of inflammatory Th17 cells in the intestine.

ABSTRACT: Th17 cells are major effector T cells in the intestine, but the regulation of their tissue tropism within the gut is poorly understood. We investigated the roles of vitamin A and retinoic acid in generation of inflammatory Th17 cells with distinct tissue tropisms within the intestine. We found that Th17 cells with distinct tissue tropisms and pathogenic activities are generated depending on the available concentration of retinoic acid (RA). In contrast to the widespread perception that RA would suppress the generation of Th17 cells, we provide evidence that RA is actually required for generation of Th17 cells with specific tissue tropisms within the gut. Th17 cells induced at suboptimal serum concentrations of RA migrated and induced moderate inflammation mainly in the large intestine, whe

SUBMITTER: Wang C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3009589 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature