Inflammation and Regeneration
Online ISSN : 1880-8190
Print ISSN : 1880-9693
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T lymphocyte function in the delayed phase of ischemic brain injury
Takashi ShichitaGo MutoAkihiko Yoshimura
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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2011 Volume 31 Issue 1 Pages 102-109

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Abstract

Lymphocyte recruitment and activation have been implicated in the progression of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, yet the roles of specific lymphocyte subpopulations and cytokines in stroke remain to be clarified. We demonstrated that IL-23 and IL-17, rather than IFN-γ, play pivotal roles in the evolution of brain infarction. IL-23 was produced from infiltrated macrophages in the immediate phase of brain ischemia; thereafter, IL-17-producing T lymphocytes were infiltrated into the ischemic brain tissue in the delayed phase. IL-17 was mostly produced in γδT lymphocytes, and was dependent on IL-23. We discovered that not only IL-23 but also IL-17 deficiency prevented neural cell death in the delayed phase of ischemic brain injury. We also demonstrated that FTY720 administration, which blocked T cell infiltration into the brain, suppressed ischemic brain injury. Furthermore, the depletion of γδT cells also attenuated ischemic brain damages. Therefore, we propose that cerebral T lymphocytes, including γδT lymphocytes, be considered as new therapeutic targets in a novel neuroprotective strategy for ischemic brain injury during the delayed phase.

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© 2011 by The Japanese Society of Inflammation and Regeneration
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