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Intraepithelial lymphocytes: exploring the Third Way in immunology

Nature Immunology volume 2, pages 997–1003 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Locally resident intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) are primarily T cells with potent cytolytic and immunoregulatory capacities, which they use to sustain epithelial integrity. Here, we consider that most IEL compartments comprise a variable mixture of two cell types: T cells primed to conventional antigen in the systemic compartment and T cells with ill-defined reactivities and origins, whose properties seem to place them mid-way between the adaptive and innate immune responses. We review the capacity of IELs to limit the dissemination of infectious pathogens and malignant cells and to control the infiltration of epithelial surfaces by systemic cells. An improved characterization of IELs would seem essential if we are to understand how immune responses and immunopathologies develop at body surfaces.

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Figure 1: A hypothesis for the development of an epithelium-associated repertoire of autoreactive type b IELs.
Figure 2: A two-step model for IEL activation and IEL responses.
Figure 3: Interactions between IELs and target cells.

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Acknowledgements

We thank S. Creighton and J. Cridland for expert assistance and R. Tigelaar, J. Lewis, M. Girardi, A. Turner, P. Kilshaw and D. Oppenheim for critical discussions. Supported the Wellcome Trust, the NIH and the Dunhill Medical Trust.

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  1. Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, GKT School of Medicine, University of London, Third floor New Guy's House, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, UK

    Adrian Hayday, Efstathios Theodoridis & John Shires

  2. Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, 06520, CT, USA

    Adrian Hayday & John Shires

  3. Section of Immunobiology, Yale University, New Haven, 06520, CT, USA

    Elizabeth Ramsburg

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  1. Adrian Hayday
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Correspondence to Adrian Hayday.

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Hayday, A., Theodoridis, E., Ramsburg, E. et al. Intraepithelial lymphocytes: exploring the Third Way in immunology. Nat Immunol 2, 997–1003 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni1101-997

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