T cell Differentiation and Function Flashcards
What are the different types of T cells a naive CD4+ T cell can differentiate into?
Treg cells, Th17 cells, Th2 cells, Th9 cells, Tfh cells, Th1 cells, and Th22 cells
Effector function Th2 Cells
These cells combat infections against helminths and activates eosinophils
Polarizing Cytokines
Cytokines that naive T cells are exposed to that stimulate the differentiation into a specific T cell type
Polarizing cytokine of Th2 cells
IL-4
What is the master transcriptional regulator of Th2 cells?
GATA3
What are the effector cytokines released by Th2 cells?
IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13
What is the Th2 cells role in disease?
Causes allergic reactions
Effector function Th1 Cells
Combats intracellular pathogens and activates macrophages (viral infections)
Polarizing cytokine of Th1 cells
IL-12, IFN-gamma, and IL-18
What is the master transcriptional regulator of Th1 cells?
T-Bet
What are the effector cytokines released by Th1 cells?
IFN-gamma, and TNF
What is the Th1 cells role in disease?
Causes inflammatory response in infected tissue
Describe the process of how a naive CD4+ T cells differentiates into Th1 cells.
- The TCR of the naive T cell binds the Ag bound to MHC II (Ag will be from a intracellular pathogen)
- The costimulatory signal occurs between the CD28 on the T cell and the CD80/86 on the APC
- The APC produces IL-12 (or other Th1 polarizing factors) which is the 3rd and final signal for Th1 differentiation
- The IL-12 signal activates the T-Bet transcription factor which starts the differentiation into a Th1 cells
What do Th1 cells do to dendritic cells and how?
The activate dendritic cells.
- They license DCs to present to naive CD8+ T cells via CD40 on DC and CD40L on TH1 cells
- They secrete more chemokines that recruit more inflammatory cells to the site of infection (such as CXCL6 and CXCL3)
- They secrete proinflammatory cytokines (such as IFN-gamma) that activate more inflammatory cells
What do Th1 cells do to macrophages and how?
They activate macrophages. Th1 ae very important for clearing bacteria that replicate inside macrophages (ex, TB).
The signaling through CD40/CD40L and IFN-gamma promote the fusion of endosomes with lysosomes to increase the killing of bacteria
Describe the process of how a naive CD4+ T cells differentiates into Th2 cells.
- The TCR of the naive T cell binds the Ag bound to MHC II (Ag will be from a extracellular pathogen; typically a helminth)
- The costimulatory signal occurs between the CD28 on the T cell and the CD80/86 on the APC
- The APC or other innate cells produces IL-4 which is the 3rd and final signal for Th2 differentiation
- The IL-4 signal activates the GATA-3 transcription factor which starts the differentiation into a Th2 cells
What do Th2 cells do to macrophages?
- the increase of IL-13 causes macrophages to increase Ag presentation and co-stimulation
- there is an increase of scavenger receptors on macrophages for fungal Ag (mannose R and dectin R)
- there is an increase in chitinases to degrade fungal and insect chitin
- There is an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 and factors that promote “wound healing” such as TGF-beta
How do Th1 and Th2 cells cross-regulate each other?
The expression of the 1 master transcriptional regulator blocks the expression of the other (encodes for the production of the specific cytokines for the corresponding response and those cytokines block the interaction of the other transcriptional regulator).
Effector function Treg Cells
Functions to suppress the immune response
Polarizing cytokine of Treg cells
IL-2 and TGF-beta
What is the master transcriptional regulator of Treg cells?
FoxP3
What are the effector cytokines released by Treg cells?
IL-10 and TGF-beta
What is the Treg cells role in disease?
They inhibit the antitumor response
Effector function Treg Cells
They combat extracellular pathogens (bacteria and fungi) in barrier tissues
Polarizing cytokine of Treg cells
IL-6, IL-23, and TGF-beta