Differentiation of effector/memory Vdelta2 T cells and migratory routes in lymph nodes or inflammatory sites

Vdelta2 T lymphocytes recognize nonpeptidic antigens without presentation by MHC molecules and mount both immediate effector functions and memory responses after microbial infection. However, how Vdelta2 T cells mediate different facets of a memory response remains unknown. Here, we show that the expression of CD45RA and CD27 antigens defines four subsets of human Vdelta2 T cells with distinctive compartmentalization routes. Naive CD45RA+CD27+ and memory CD45RA-CD27+ cells express lymph node homing receptors, abound in lymph nodes, and lack immediate effector functions. Conversely, memory CD45RA-CD27- and terminally differentiated CD45RA+CD27- cells, which express receptors for homing to inflamed tissues, are poorly represented in the lymph nodes while abounding at sites of inflammation, and display immediate effector functions. These observations and additional in vitro experiments indicate a lineage differentiation pattern for human Vdelta2 T cells that generates naive cells circulating in lymph nodes, effector/memory cells patrolling the blood, and terminally differentiated effector cells residing in inflamed tissues.