Frontiers in Immunology (Oct 2023)

Unconventional T cells in brain homeostasis, injury and neurodegeneration

  • Mengfei Lv,
  • Mengfei Lv,
  • Zhaolong Zhang,
  • Yu Cui,
  • Yu Cui

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1273459
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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The interaction between peripheral immune cells and the brain is an important component of the neuroimmune axis. Unconventional T cells, which include natural killer T (NKT) cells, mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, γδ T cells, and other poorly defined subsets, are a special group of T lymphocytes that recognize a wide range of nonpolymorphic ligands and are the connection between adaptive and innate immunity. Recently, an increasing number of complex functions of these unconventional T cells in brain homeostasis and various brain disorders have been revealed. In this review, we describe the classification and effector function of unconventional T cells, review the evidence for the involvement of unconventional T cells in the regulation of brain homeostasis, summarize the roles and mechanisms of unconventional T cells in the regulation of brain injury and neurodegeneration, and discuss immunotherapeutic potential as well as future research goals. Insight of these processes can shed light on the regulation of T cell immunity on brain homeostasis and diseases and provide new clues for therapeutic approaches targeting brain injury and neurodegeneration.

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