Abstract
Exposure to inhaled allergens generates T helper 2 (Th2) CD4+ T cells that contribute to episodes of inflammation associated with asthma. Little is known about allergen-specific Th2 memory cells and their contribution to airway inflammation. We generated reagents to understand how endogenous CD4+ T cells specific for a house dust mite (HDM) allergen form and function. After allergen exposure, HDM-specific memory cells persisted as central memory cells in the lymphoid organs and tissue-resident memory cells in the lung. Experimental blockade of lymphocyte migration demonstrated that lung-resident cells were sufficient to induce airway hyper-responsiveness, which depended upon CD4+ T cells. Investigation into the differentiation of pathogenic Trm cells revealed that interleukin-2 (IL-2) signaling was required for residency and directed a program of tissue homing migrational cues. These studies thus identify IL-2-dependent resident Th2 memory cells as drivers of lung allergic responses.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 155-166 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Immunity |
Volume | 44 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 19 2016 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2016 Elsevier Inc.