Human lung-resident mucosal-associated invariant T cells are abundant, express antimicrobial proteins, and are cytokine responsive.

ABSTRACT: Mucosal-associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells are an innate-like T cell subset that recognize a broad array of microbial pathogens, including respiratory pathogens. Here we investigate the transcriptional profile of MAIT cells localized to the human lung, and postulate that MAIT cells may play a role in maintaining homeostasis at this mucosal barrier. Using the MR1/5-OP-RU tetramer, we identified MAIT cells and non-MAIT CD8⁺ T cells in lung tissue not suitable for transplant from human donors. We used RNA-sequencing of MAIT cells compared to non-MAIT CD8⁺ T cells to define the transcriptome of MAIT cells in the human lung. We show that, as a population, lung MAIT cells are polycytotoxic, secrete the directly antimicrobial molecule IL-26, express genes associated with pe

SUBMITTER: Meermeier EW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9463188 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature