Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2013 Apr;1283:43-9. doi: 10.1111/nyas.12106.
Natural helper (NH) cells are a newly identified innate lymphocyte population that responds to a combination of interleukin (IL)-2 and either IL-25 or IL-33 to produce large amounts of T helper cell type 2 (Th2) cytokines. NH cells have been identified in fat-associated lymphoid clusters (FALCs), produce Th2 cytokines constitutively without any stimulation, and support the self-renewal of B1 cells and IgA production by B cells. Large amounts of IL-5 and IL-13 produced upon helminth infection or in response to IL-33 can induce eosinophilia and goblet cell hyperplasia in the lung and intestine; these cytokines, which activate NH cells, play important roles in antihelminth immunity and allergic diseases such as asthma.
自然辅助（NH）细胞是新近鉴定的先天淋巴细胞群，对白细胞介素（IL）-2 与 IL-25 或 IL-33 的组合作出反应，产生大量辅助性 T 细胞 2（Th2）细胞因子。NH 细胞已在脂肪相关淋巴簇（FALC）中被鉴定出来，在没有任何刺激的情况下持续产生 Th2 细胞因子，并支持 B1 细胞的自我更新和 B 细胞的 IgA 产生。大量的 IL-5 和 IL-13 在寄生虫感染或对 IL-33 的反应中产生，可诱导肺和肠道中的嗜酸性粒细胞增多和杯状细胞增生；这些激活 NH 细胞的细胞因子在抗寄生虫免疫和哮喘等过敏性疾病中发挥重要作用。
