The Tec kinase ITK regulates thymic expansion, emigration, and maturation of γδ NKT cells.

The Tec Kinase ITK Regulates Thymic Expansion, Emigration, and Maturation of gd NKT Cells

The Tec family tyrosine kinase, Itk, regulates signaling downstream of the TCR. The absence of Itk in CD4 + T cells results in impaired Th2 responses along with defects in maturation, cytokine production, and survival of iNKT cells. Paradoxically, Itk 2/2 mice have spontaneously elevated serum IgE levels, resulting from an expansion of the Vg1.1 + Vd6.3 + subset of gd T cells, known as gd NKT c...

Tec kinase Itk in gammadeltaT cells is pivotal for controlling IgE production in vivo.

In conventional alphabeta T cells, the Tec family tyrosine kinase Itk is required for signaling downstream of the T cell receptor (TCR). Itk also regulates alphabeta T cell development, lineage commitment, and effector function. A well established feature of Itk(-/-) mice is their inability to generate T helper type 2 (Th2) responses that produce IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13; yet these mice have spont...

Survival Cell Maturation, Cytokine Production, and The Tec Kinases Itk and Rlk Regulate NKT

T-Bet independent development of IFNγ secreting natural T helper 1 cell population in the absence of Itk

Th1, Th2, Th9 and Th17 cells are conventional CD4+ effector T cells identified as secretors of prototypical cytokines IFNγ, IL4, IL9, and IL-17A respectively. Recently, populations of natural Th17 and Th1 cells (nTh17 and nTh1) with innate-like phenotype have been identified in the thymus that are distinct from conventional Th17 and Th1 cells. The absence of the Tec family kinase Interleukin-2 ...

ITK tunes IL-4-induced development of innate memory CD8+ T cells in a γδ T and invariant NKT cell-independent manner.

True memory CD8(+) T cells develop post antigenic exposure and can provide life-long immune protection. More recently, other types of memory CD8(+) T cells have been described, such as the memory-like CD8(+) T cells (IMP; CD44(hi)CD122(+)) that arise spontaneously in Itk(-/-) mice, which are suggested to develop as a result of IL-4 secreted by NKT-like γδ T or PLZF(+) NKT cells found in Itk(-/-...