IL-17A-producing γδ T cells: A novel target in stroke immunotherapy

The activation of the immune system is crucial for the fate of the ischemic brain tissue and neurological outcome in experimental stroke. Rapidly after stroke γδ (γδ17), T cells release IL-17A in the ischemic brain and thereby amplify the early detrimental immune response. Notably, IL-17A levels in γδ17 T cells are modulated by the intestinal microbiota which is, in turn, shaped by the diet. Importantly, besides their proinflammatory effects, meningeal γδ17 T cells have been recently implicated in regulating neuronal signaling, behavior, and cognition under homeostatic and pathological conditions at the brain-meningeal interface. Against this background, we propose that a dietary intervention represents a promising treatment option to improve poststroke outcomes by the modulation of the microbiota composition and IL-17A levels in γδ T cells.