MAIT cells protect against sterile lung injury
The role of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, the most abundant unconventional T cells in the lung, in sterile lung injury is not known.
The researchers report that MAIT cells protect against sterile lung injury by promoting type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1s) accumulation, which limits tissue damage through a DNGR-1-dependent pathway.
Analysis of human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) data suggests that MAIT cells were activated, with increased cDC populations in IPF patients and may potentially modulate fibrosis.
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(25)00046-4
