Long-lived innate IL-17–producing γ/δ T cells modulate antimicrobial epithelial host defense in the colon

Abstract

Intestinal IL-17–producing cells, including Th17, γ/δ T, and innate lymphoid cells, are differentially distributed along the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we show that the gut IL-17–producing γ/δ T (γ/δ T17) cells develop before birth and persist in the tissue as long-lived cells with minimal turnover. Most colon γ/δ T17 cells express, together with Vγ4 and CCR6, the scavenger receptor 2 and are mainly restricted to innate lymphoid follicles in the colon. Colon γ/δ T cells in mice that lack conventional dendritic cells 2 produced increased amounts of IL-17 with concomitant heightened epithelial antimicrobial response, such as the C-type lectins Reg3γ and Reg3β. In the absence of γ/δ T cells or after IL-17 neutralization, this epithelial response was dramatically reduced, underlining the protective role of this unique subpopulation of innate γ/δ T17 cells in the colonic mucosa.