UCSF

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) and CD4⁺ type 2 helper T cells (T_H2 cells) are defined by their similar effector cytokines, which together mediate the features of allergic immunity. We found that tissue ILC2s and T_H2 cells differentiated independently but shared overlapping effector function programs that were mediated by exposure to the tissue-derived cytokines interleukin 25 (IL-25), IL-33 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). Loss of these three tissue signals did not affect lymph node priming, but abrogated the terminal differentiation of effector T_H2 cells and adaptive lung inflammation in a T cell-intrinsic manner. Our findings suggest a mechanism by which diverse perturbations can activate type 2 immunity and reveal a shared local-tissue-elicited checkpoint that can be exploited to control both innate and adaptive allergic inflammation.