High-dimensional profiling reveals Tc17 cell enrichment in active Crohn’s disease and identifies a potentially targetable signature

Abstract: The immune-pathology in Crohn’s disease is linked to dysregulated CD4+ T cell responses biased towards pathogenic TH17 cells. However, the role of CD8+ T cells able to produce IL-17 (Tc17 cells) remains unclear. Here we characterize the peripheral blood and intestinal tissue of Crohn’s disease patients (n = 61) with flow and mass cytometry and reveal a strong increase of Tc17 cells in active disease, mainly due to induction of conventional T cells. Mass cytometry shows that Tc17 cells express a distinct immune signature (CD6high, CD39, CD69, PD-1, CD27low) which was validated in an independent patient cohort. This signature stratifies patients into groups with distinct flare-free survival associated with differential CD6 expression. Targeting of CD6 in vitro reduces IL-17, IFN-γ and TNF production. These results identify a distinct Tc17 cell population in Crohn’s disease with proinflammatory features linked to disease activity. The Tc17 signature informs clinical outcomes and may guide personalized treatment decisions

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Nature communications. - 13, 1 (2022) , 3688, ISSN: 2041-1723

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Freiburg
• (who): Universität
• (when): 2022
• Creator: Globig, Anna-Maria ; Hipp, Anna Veronika ; Otto-Mora, Patricia ; Heeg, Maximilian ; Mayer, Lena Sophie ; Ehl, Stephan ; Schwacha, Henning ; Bewtra, Meenakshi ; Tomov, Vesselin T. ; Thimme, Robert ; Hasselblatt, Peter ; Bengsch, Bertram

Further information

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31229-z
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-2283099
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:32 AM CEST