Mature peripheral T cells are important to preserve thymus function and selection of thymocytes during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Abstract

Evaluation of: Nobrega C, Nunes-Alves C, Cerqueira-Rodrigues B et al. T cells home to the thymus and control infection. J. Immunol. 190, 1646-1658 (2013). It is well documented that the thymus is a target organ for a large variety of pathogens (virus, bacteria, fungi and protozoa). Moreover, the presence of pathogen-derived antigens in the thymus of infected mice seems to interfere with the capacity of mature T cells to respond to the invading organism. In this way, Nobrega and colleagues demonstrated in 2010 that Mycobacterium avium infection in the thymus leads to the appearance of differentiated T cells tolerogenic for bacterial antigens. In the present and elegant study, the same group demonstrates that T-cell recirculation from the periphery to the thymus is a mechanism that allows the immune system to respond to thymic infection. A Mycobacterium-infected thymus increases the production of Th1-effector chemokines, such as CXCL9 and CXCL10, which in turn recruit CXCR3(+) peripheral T cells involved in intrathymic bacterial control. Taken together, these findings may represent an important issue of the host response, in terms of different pathogens able to infect the thymus.

• Authors: Juliana de Meis, Wilson Savino
• Journal: Immunotherapy (Immunotherapy) Vol. 5 Issue 6 Pg. 573-6 (Jun 2013) ISSN: 1750-7448 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23725281 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Comment)

Topics

• Animals
• Cell Movement (immunology)
• T-Lymphocyte Subsets (immunology, microbiology)
• Thymus Gland (immunology, microbiology)