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Published on: September 26, 2013
Do adaptive immune cells suppress or activate innate immunity?
Jie Zhao1, Xuanming Yang, Sogyong L Auh
1Center for Infection and Immunity and National Key Laboratory of Macromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.
Trends in Immunology
|December 9, 2008
Summary
Adaptive immune cells, specifically T cells, actively dampen initial innate immune responses. Insufficient T cells lead to uncontrolled innate immunity, challenging established infection control models.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- The traditional view posits innate immunity primes adaptive immunity for pathogen control.
- T-cell deficiency is typically associated with fatal infections due to impaired innate immunity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of adaptive immune cells in modulating early innate immune responses.
- To re-evaluate the established understanding of immune system interactions during infection.
Main Methods:
- This study reviews recent findings and experimental evidence.
- Analysis of immunological data regarding T-cell function and innate immune pathways.
Main Results:
- Recent studies indicate adaptive immune cells actively suppress initial innate immune reactions.
- Conversely, a lack of T cells results in dysregulated and excessive innate immune responses.
Conclusions:
- The adaptive immune system plays a crucial, previously underappreciated role in regulating early inflammation.
- This challenges the dogma that T cells only amplify immune responses, highlighting their dampening function in initial infection stages.
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