Aire-expressing ILC3-like cells in the lymph node display potent APC features.

ABSTRACT: The autoimmune regulator (Aire) serves an essential function for T cell tolerance by promoting the "promiscuous" expression of tissue antigens in thymic epithelial cells. Aire is also detected in rare cells in peripheral lymphoid organs, but the identity of these cells is poorly understood. Here, we report that Aire protein-expressing cells in lymph nodes exhibit typical group 3 innate lymphoid cell (ILC3) characteristics such as lymphoid morphology, absence of "classical" hematopoietic lineage markers, and dependence on RORγt. Aire+ cells are more frequent among lineage-negative RORγt+ cells of peripheral lymph nodes as compared with mucosa-draining lymph nodes, display a unique Aire-dependent transcriptional signature, express high surface levels of MHCII and costimulatory molecules, and

SUBMITTER: Yamano T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6504225 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature