CD45RA+CD62L- ILCs represent a quiescent local reservoir for the generation of mature ILC in human tissues
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ABSTRACT: Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are highly plastic and predominantly mucosal tissue-resident cells that contribute to both homeostasis and inflammation depending on the microenvironment. The recent discovery of naïve-like tissue-resident ILCs suggests an ILC differentiation process that is akin to naïve T cell differentiation. Delineating the naïve-like ILC heterogeneity and the transcriptional, epigenetic and functional mechanisms that underlie ILC differentiation in tissues is crucial for understanding ILC biology in health and disease. Here we show that CD62L distinguishes two subsets of naïve-like CD45RA+ ILCs in tonsil tissue. While both subsets contain uni- and multipotent precursors of ILC1/NK cells and ILC3, CD62L+ ILCs resemble bona fide naïve ILCs with metabolism reminiscent of naïve T cells, lacking transcriptional and epigenetic signatures of mature ILCs. CD62L- ILCs are epigenetically similar to, but transcriptionally distinct from CD62L+ naïve-like ILCs including transcripts of cytokine signaling and metabolic pathways related to mature ILCs. A similar population of CD62L- quiescent ILCs with preferential differentiation capacity towards IL-22-producing ILC3 accumulate in the inflamed mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These data suggest that naïve-like and quiescent ILCs are imprinted by their tissue microenvironment that poises their differentiation potential. Our findings identify restoration of homeostatic IL-22-producing ILC3 from CD62L- quiescent ILCs as a potential approach to improve tissue healing in IBD.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE176367 | GEO | 2022/02/17
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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