Distinct, age-dependent TLR7/8 signaling responses in porcine gamma-delta T cells

Gamma-Delta T cells are a prominent subset of T cells in pigs. However, developmental changes, antigen recognition, cell migration, and their contributions to pathogen clearance remain largely unknown. We have recently shown that porcine γδ T cells express Toll-like receptors (TLRs), and that TLR7/8 stimulation can function as a co-stimulatory signal that complements cytokine-induced signals to enhance INFγ production. Nonetheless, the signaling pathways behind this increased cytokine responsiveness remained unclear. Here, we analyzed the signaling pathways by measuring cellular kinase activity and selective inhibition, confirming that the TLR7/8 expression by γδ T cells is indeed functional. Moreover, TLR downstream signaling responses showed a distinct age-dependency, emphasizing the importance of age in immune function. While the TLR7/8 co-stimulation depended on activation of IRAK1/4, p38 and JNK in adult-derived γδ T cells, γδ T cells from young pigs utilized only p38, indicating the existence of an alternative signaling pathway in young pigs. Overall, this data suggests that porcine γδ T cells could be able to recognize viral RNA through TLR7/8 and subsequently support the survival and activation of the adaptive immune response by cytokine production.