10/15/2025
‘Unconventional’ immune cells to tackle inflammation in the gut
The gut is particularly rich in T cells—immune cells which can recognize different antigens, i.e., molecules that may trigger an immune response.
One such set of T cells are known as double negative T (DNT) cells—these are ‘unconventional’ cells that lack the usual markers (proteins found on the surface of a cell) that are present on the other ‘conventional’ T cells such as CD4+ T cells. DNT cells lack CD4 and CD8αβ markers but contain TCRαβ marker on their surface. DNT cells are also particularly abundant in the intestine as compared to other organs; however, their function has remained a mystery till date.
T cells can only recognize and react to antigens when they are ‘presented’ to them on the surface of other cells, and this process is known as antigen presentation. Antigen presentation leads to the activation of previously inactivated ‘naïve’ T cells, which can then lead to an immune response.
The author says, “This study is the first in the world to discover that DNT cells, which are abundant in the intestine, possess a novel immune function—DNT cells can act as antigen-presenting cells.” In this case, it was observed that DNT cells took on the role of antigen-presenting cells; their motility meant that they were able to directly take up antigens in the intestine and subsequently migrate to lymphoid tissues in order to present these antigens to naïve CD4+ T cells. There is one last twist in this process; while DNT cells do present antigens to CD4+ T cells, they do not express the ‘co-stimulatory’ molecules that are necessary for actually activating the T cells.
The author explains about the relevancy, “Because of the lack of co-stimulatory molecules, when DNT cells present antigens, CD4+ T cells are not activated but instead enter a state of non-responsiveness or anergy.” The implications of these findings are enormous: through their role in antigen presentation, DNT cells actually play a key role in suppressing inflammation.
This was confirmed through studies in mice with intestinal inflammation, more importantly, however; it was also found that DNT cells from patients with Crohn’s disease (an inflammatory bowel condition) also showed impaired antigen uptake and presentation. The author explains, “These findings suggest that dysfunction of DNT cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease.”
https://sciencemission.com/%E2%80%98Unconventional%E2%80%99-immune-cells