Direct interaction of Vδ7 TCRs with IL17RA drives the differentiation of T <sub>H</sub> 1-like γδT cells

K Kewei Ye (Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) N Nimmy Francis (Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) J Josefine Dunst (Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) A Amanda Borgenstam (Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) I Iris Rocamonde-Lago (Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) S Stefanie Köhler (Institute of Biochemistry, Center of Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.) Y Yuanyuan You (Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) A Anatoly Dubnovitsky (Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) A Anja Kramer (Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) F Fanxi Meng (Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) V Valentin Zollner (Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) L Lisa Vogg (Division of Genetics, Department Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.) T Tomás J. Ryan K Ken-ichi Hanada (Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.) T Tommy Regen (Institute for Molecular Medicine and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.) A Ari Waisman (Institute for Molecular Medicine and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.) V Vivianne Malmström (Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) E Erik Benson (Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.) J Jan Kisielow (Repertoire Immune Medicines, Schlieren, Switzerland.) T Thomas Krey (Institute of Biochemistry, Center of Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.) T Thomas H. Winkler (Division of Genetics, Department Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.) L Leo Hanke (Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.) T Taras Kreslavsky (Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.)

Abstract

Of the three classes of lymphocytes that constitute the adaptive immune system, γδT cells are the only class for which the principles of antigen recognition remain enigmatic. Although endogenous γδT cell antigen receptor (γδTCR) ligands are thought to regulate γδT cell development, their identities are largely elusive. Here, we identified the interleukin 17 receptor A chain (IL17RA) as a γδTCR ligand that drove the differentiation of Vδ7 + γδT cells with a T helper 1 (T H 1)–like effector program in mice. IL17RA promoted this differentiation through an interaction involving germline-encoded regions of the Vδ7 chain, enabling the selection of cells with a diverse CDR3 repertoire and thus acting as a nonclonotypic γδTCR ligand. Together with the nonclonotypic mode of γδTCR engagement by butyrophilins, these results suggest that such interactions represent a general biological mechanism shaping the γδT cell compartment.

Article Details

Journal Science
Volume / Issue Vol. 393, Issue 6808
Published July 16, 2026
ISSN 0036-8075
Publisher American Association for the Advancement of Science

Journal Info

Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science

ISSN: 0036-8075 Social Sciences

Authors (23)

K

Kewei Ye

Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

N

Nimmy Francis

Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

J

Josefine Dunst

Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

A

Amanda Borgenstam

Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

I

Iris Rocamonde-Lago

Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

S

Stefanie Köhler

Institute of Biochemistry, Center of Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.

Y

Yuanyuan You

Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

A

Anatoly Dubnovitsky

Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

A

Anja Kramer

Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

F

Fanxi Meng

Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

V

Valentin Zollner

Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

L

Lisa Vogg

Division of Genetics, Department Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.

T

Tomás J. Ryan

K

Ken-ichi Hanada

Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.

T

Tommy Regen

Institute for Molecular Medicine and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.

A

Ari Waisman

Institute for Molecular Medicine and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.

V

Vivianne Malmström

Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

E

Erik Benson

Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

J

Jan Kisielow

Repertoire Immune Medicines, Schlieren, Switzerland.

T

Thomas Krey

Institute of Biochemistry, Center of Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.

T

Thomas H. Winkler

Division of Genetics, Department Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.

L

Leo Hanke

Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

T

Taras Kreslavsky

Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.