Mechanisms Underlying Lineage Commitment and Plasticity of Helper CD4⁺ T Cells

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 327; no. 5969; pp. 1098 - 1102
• Main Authors: O'Shea, John J., Paul, William E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Association for the Advancement of Science 26-02-2010; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Animals; Beta cells; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Differentiation; Cell Lineage; Cell lines; Cells; Cellular biology; Cellular differentiation; Cytokines; Cytokines - biosynthesis; Epigenetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Immunology; Medical research; Microbiology; Models, Biological; Pluripotent stem cells; Replicative cycle, interference, host-virus relations, pathogenicity, miscellaneous strains; Review; Stem cells; T lymphocytes; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - cytology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - cytology; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - metabolism; Transcription factors; Virology
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1178334

CD4⁺ T cells are critical for host defense but are also major drivers of immune-mediated disease. These T cells specialize to become distinct subsets and produce restricted patterns of cytokines, which are tailored to combat various microbial pathogens. Although classically viewed as distinct lineages, recent work calls into question whether helper CD4⁺ T cell subsets are more appropriately viewed as terminally differentiated cells or works in progress. Herein, we review recent advances that pertain to this topic and the mechanisms that contribute to helper CD4⁺ T cell commitment and plasticity. The therapeutic implications of these new findings are also considered.