γδ T cells are Involved in the Generation of Chronic Inflammation by Excess Visceral Fat

Visceral fat around the inner organs is a metabolically active tissue, and more of it is entirely detrimental to long-term health. These fat deposits interact with the immune system in a number of distinct ways to produce chronic inflammation, and that inflammation in turn drives the onset and progression of tissue dysfunction and all of the common age-related conditions. For example, visceral fat encourages the accumulation of senescent cells and their pro-inflammatory signaling, while visceral fat cells signal in ways that mimic infection, as well as producing DNA debris that activates the innate immune system. Given the number of known inflammatory processes, we might expect researchers to uncover further, novel mechanisms involved in generating inflammation in visceral fat, as is the case here. γδ T cells are a unique and poorly understood class of lymphocytes generally regarded for their role in barrier protection with functionally distinct subpopulations residing in epithelial tissues, including those of the skin, gut, and lung. In addition to responding to antigen presentation via the T cell receptor, similar to conventional T cells (regulatory, helper, and cytotoxic T cells) of the adaptive immune system, γδ T cells can respond directly to cytokines and other intact proteins without antigen processing and presentation, and have the capacity to phagocytize much like innate immune cells. In adipose tissues, contrary to their traditional function in i...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs