Skin and gut imprinted helper T cell subsets exhibit distinct functional phenotypes in central nervous system autoimmunity

Korn and colleagues demonstrate that the site of T cell priming (gut versus skin draining lymph nodes) dictates their effector phenotypes and homing to distal sites of immunopathology. Multidimensional single-cell analyses of T cells have fueled the debate about whether there is extensive plasticity or 'mixed' priming of helper T cell subsets in vivo. Here, we developed an experimental framework to probe the idea that the site of priming in the systemic immune compartment is a determinant of helper T cell-induced immunopathology in remote organs. By site-specific in vivo labeling of antigen-specific T cells in inguinal (i) or gut draining mesenteric (m) lymph nodes, we show that i-T cells and m-T cells isolated from the inflamed central nervous system (CNS) in a model of multiple sclerosis (MS) are distinct. i-T cells were Cxcr6(+), and m-T cells expressed P2rx7. Notably, m-T cells infiltrated white matter, while i-T cells were also recruited to gray matter. Therefore, we propose that the definition of helper T cell subsets by their site of priming may guide an advanced understanding of helper T cell biology in health and disease.

Automated summary

The location of T cell priming plays a crucial role in determining their effector phenotypes and migration to distal sites of immunopathology. This study suggests that defining helper T cell subsets by their priming site can provide advanced insights into helper T cell biology in both health and disease.