TY - JOUR
T1 - The CD4-centered universe of human T cell subsets
AU - Geginat, J.
AU - Paroni, M.
AU - Facciotti, F.
AU - Gruarin, P.
AU - Kastirr, I.
AU - Caprioli, F.
AU - Pagani, M.
AU - Abrignani, S.
PY - 2013/11/15
Y1 - 2013/11/15
N2 - Humans are continuously exposed to a high number of diverse pathogens that induce different types of immune responses. Primary pathogen-specific immune responses generate multiple subsets of memory T cells, which provide protection against secondary infections. In recent years, several novel T cell subsets have been identified and have significantly broadened our knowledge about T cell differentiation and the regulation of immune responses. At the same time the rapidly growing number of incompletely characterized T cell subsets has also generated some controversies. We therefore review here the current knowledge on features and functions of human α/β T cell subsets, focusing on CD4+ T cells classified according to cytokine production and tissue localization. The principal helper and regulatory T cell subsets can be identified by a limited number of relevant surface markers, which are an integral part of the T cell differentiation programs because they are directly induced by the relevant lineage-defining transcription factors. In vivo occurring human T cell subsets can thus be purified directly ex vivo from relevant tissues for molecular and functional studies, and represent not only an ideal model to study T cell differentiation, but they also offer important clinical opportunities.
AB - Humans are continuously exposed to a high number of diverse pathogens that induce different types of immune responses. Primary pathogen-specific immune responses generate multiple subsets of memory T cells, which provide protection against secondary infections. In recent years, several novel T cell subsets have been identified and have significantly broadened our knowledge about T cell differentiation and the regulation of immune responses. At the same time the rapidly growing number of incompletely characterized T cell subsets has also generated some controversies. We therefore review here the current knowledge on features and functions of human α/β T cell subsets, focusing on CD4+ T cells classified according to cytokine production and tissue localization. The principal helper and regulatory T cell subsets can be identified by a limited number of relevant surface markers, which are an integral part of the T cell differentiation programs because they are directly induced by the relevant lineage-defining transcription factors. In vivo occurring human T cell subsets can thus be purified directly ex vivo from relevant tissues for molecular and functional studies, and represent not only an ideal model to study T cell differentiation, but they also offer important clinical opportunities.
KW - CD4 memory T cells
KW - Cytokines
KW - T cell differentiation
KW - Tissue homing
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U2 - 10.1016/j.smim.2013.10.012
DO - 10.1016/j.smim.2013.10.012
M3 - Article
C2 - 24183700
AN - SCOPUS:84888864643
VL - 25
SP - 252
EP - 262
JO - Seminars in Immunology
JF - Seminars in Immunology
SN - 1044-5323
IS - 4
ER -