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.