Antigenic stimulation in conjunction with cytokine is required for mediating IL-17A production in human MAIT cells

Abstract

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are donor unrestricted T cells capable of both antigen-specific adaptive responses and cytokine driven innate-like functions. Although human MAIT cells uniformly express ROR{gamma}t and IL23R, they generally produce IFN-{gamma}, and only a small fraction produces IL-17. Recent studies show that combined TCR and cytokine stimulation can elicit functional heterogeneity in blood-derived MAIT cells. Here, we investigate the role of IL-23/IL-23R signaling in mediating the function and transcriptional profiles of lung MAIT cell clones. We demonstrate that BAL-derived lung MAIT cell clones exhibit distinct cytokine profiles and variable IL23R expression. Short-term IL-23 stimulation triggers clone-specific transcriptional programs and IL23R-dependent upregulation of type 17-associated genes. Prolonged conditioning of lung MAIT cell clones with TCR (5-OP-RU) and cytokine (IL-23) stimulation induces stable IL-17A production along with unique transcriptional changes. TCR + IL-23 conditioning alone upregulates clone-specific and shared cytoskeletal/structural gene programs, whereas subsequent PMA/Ionomycin stimulation further induces IL-12 family signaling and metabolic genes. Together, these findings demonstrate that IL23R expression and TCR signaling are required for IL-17A production, highlighting that these conditions may be met in tissue environments where MR1-specific antigens and proinflammatory cytokines coexist.