Mechanisms of Innate Lymphoid Cell and Natural Killer T Cell Activation during Mucosal Inflammation

<table>Conserved lineage diversification in ILCs and NKT cells. NKT cells as well as ILCs can be divided into three separate sublineages that resemble Th1, Th2, and Th17 subsets in conventional CD4-positive T cells. Group 1 ILCs are characterized by the expression of either T-bet (ILC1) or T-bet and Eomes (NK cells). Group 2 ILCs are defined by the expression of ROR<i>α</i> and GATA3 as well as their ability to release Th2 cytokines. Three sublineages are summarized under the umbrella of group 3 ILCs. While NK cell receptor-negative ILC3s only depend on ROR<i>γ</i>t, lymphoid tissue-inducer (LTi) cells require the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) in addition to ROR<i>γ</i>t. NK cell receptor-expressing ILC3s depend on three transcription factors, AhR, ROR<i>γ</i>t and T-bet.</table>

Journal of Immunology Research

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Figure 1

Figure 1: Mechanisms of Innate Lymphoid Cell and Natural Killer T Cell Activation during Mucosal Inflammation 