Abstract
Several signals influence dendritic cell (DC) functions and consequent the immune responses to infectious pathogens. Our recent findings provide a new model of intervention on DCs implicating human γδ T cell stimuli. Vγ9Vδ2 T cells represent the major subset of circulating human γδ T cells and can be activated by non-peptidic molecules derived from different microorganisms or abnormal metabolic routes. With activated-Vγ9Vδ2 T cell co-culture, immature DCs acquire features of mature DCs, such as increasing the migratory activity, up-regulating the chemokine receptors, and triggering the Th1 immune response. Similar to the NK-derived signals, DC activation is mediated by soluble factors as well as cell-to-cell contact. Many non-peptidic molecules including nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates and pyrophosphomonoester drugs, can stimulate the activity of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells in vitro and in vivo. The relatively low in vivo toxicity of many of these drugs makes possible novel vaccine and immune-based strategies against infectious diseases.
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Casetti, R., Martino, A. The Plasticity of γδ T Cells: Innate Immunity, Antigen Presentation and New Immunotherapy. Cell Mol Immunol 5, 161–170 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/cmi.2008.20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/cmi.2008.20