Abstract
Soil-transmitted helminths represent a major global health burden with infections and infection-related comorbidities causing significant reductions in the quality of life for individuals living in endemic areas. Repeated infections and chronic colonization by these large extracellular worms in mammals led to the evolution of type-2 immunity characterized by the production of the type-2 cytokines interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Although a number of adaptive and innate immune cells produce type-2 cytokines, a key cellular source in the context of helminth infection is group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s). ILC2s promote mucosal barrier homeostasis, integrity, and repair by rapidly responding to epithelial cues in mucosal tissues. Though tissue-resident ILC2s (nILC2s) have been studied in detail over the last decade, considerably less is known with regard to a subset of inflammatory ILC2s (iILC2s) that migrate to the lungs of mice early after Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection and are potent early producers of type-2 cytokines. This review will discuss the relationship and differences between nILC2s and iILC2s that establish their unique roles in anti-helminth immunity. We have placed particular emphasis on studies investigating iILC2 origin, function, and their potential long-term contribution to tissue-resident ILC2 reservoirs in settings of helminth infection.
Highlights
Global Health Burden of Soil-Transmitted HelminthsSoil-transmitted helminths include roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworms (Trichuris trichiura) and hookworms (Necator americanus; Ancylostoma duodenale) together accounting for infections in at least 1.4 billion people currently, with half of the world’s population remaining at risk [1,2,3]
While the role of inflammatory ILC2s (iILC2s) in helminth infection is clear, there have been few studies demonstrating their appearance in other infection or disease models
As early mediators of type-2 immunity, it is interesting to speculate that iILC2s are involved in allergic responses
Summary
Global Health Burden of Soil-Transmitted HelminthsSoil-transmitted helminths include roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworms (Trichuris trichiura) and hookworms (Necator americanus; Ancylostoma duodenale) together accounting for infections in at least 1.4 billion people currently, with half of the world’s population remaining at risk [1,2,3]. Though tissue-resident ILC2s (nILC2s) have been studied in detail over the last decade, considerably less is known with regard to a subset of inflammatory ILC2s (iILC2s) that migrate to the lungs of mice early after Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection and are potent early producers of type-2 cytokines.
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