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1: J Exp Med. 2008 Aug 4;205(8):1903-16. Epub 2008 Jul 28.
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Human interleukin 17-producing cells originate from a CD161+CD4+ T cell precursor.

Cosmi L, De Palma R, Santarlasci V, Maggi L, Capone M, Frosali F, Rodolico G, Querci V, Abbate G, Angeli R, Berrino L, Fambrini M, Caproni M, Tonelli F, Lazzeri E, Parronchi P, Liotta F, Maggi E, Romagnani S, Annunziato F.

Department of Internal Medicine and DENOTHE Center, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy.

We demonstrate that CD161 is a highly up-regulated gene in human interleukin (IL) 17 T helper cell (Th17) clones and that all IL-17-producing cells are contained in the CD161(+) fraction of CD4(+) T cells present in the circulation or in inflamed tissues, although they are not CD1-restricted natural killer T cells. More importantly, we show that all IL-17-producing cells originate from CD161(+) naive CD4(+) T cells of umbilical cord blood, as well as of the postnatal thymus, in response to the combined activity of IL-1 beta and IL-23. These findings implicate CD161 as a novel surface marker for human Th17 cells and demonstrate the exclusive origin of these cells from a CD161(+)CD4(+) T cell progenitor.

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PMID: 18663128 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

PMCID: PMC2525581 [Available on 02/04/09]