Human gamma delta T cells recognize alkylamines derived from microbes, edible plants, and tea: implications for innate immunity

• Published in: Immunity (Cambridge, Mass.) Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 57 - 65
• Main Authors: Bukowski, J F, Morita, C T, Brenner, M B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.1999
• Subjects: Amines - chemistry; Amines - immunology; Amines - metabolism; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Antigens, Bacterial - metabolism; Bacteroides fragilis - immunology; Bacteroides fragilis - metabolism; Cell Line, Transformed; Clone Cells; Clostridium perfringens - immunology; Clostridium perfringens - metabolism; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte - immunology; Ethylamines - chemistry; Ethylamines - immunology; Ethylamines - metabolism; Glutamates - chemistry; Glutamates - immunology; Glutamates - metabolism; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Immunity, Innate; Plants, Edible - immunology; Proteus - immunology; Proteus - metabolism; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - immunology; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - physiology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - microbiology; Tea - chemistry; Tea - immunology; Tea - metabolism; Tumor Cells, Cultured
• ISSN: 1074-7613; 1097-4180
• DOI: 10.1016/S1074-7613(00)80081-3

Approximately 4% of peripheral blood T cells in humans express a T cell receptor with markedly restricted germline gene segment usage (V gamma 2 V delta 2). Remarkably, these T cells expand 2- to 10-fold (8%-60% of all circulating T cells) during many microbial infections. We show here that these T cells recognize a family of naturally occurring primary alkylamines in a TCR-dependent manner. These antigenic alkylamines are secreted to millimolar concentrations in bacterial supernatants and are found in certain edible plants. Given the large numbers of memory V gamma 2 V delta 2 T cells in adult humans, recognition of alkylamine antigens offers the immune system a response of the magnitude of major superantigens for alpha beta T cells and may bridge the gap between innate and adaptive immunity.