Clonal Vγ6Vδ4 T cells promote IL-17-mediated immunity against skin infection.

T cell cytokines contribute to immunity against , but the predominant T cell subsets involved are unclear. In an skin infection mouse model, we found that the IL-17 response was mediated by γδ T cells, which trafficked from lymph nodes to the infected skin to induce neutrophil recruitment, proinflammatory cytokines IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNF, and host defense peptides. RNA-seq for and sequences in lymph nodes and skin revealed a single clonotypic expansion of the encoded complementarity-determining region 3 amino acid sequence, which could be generated by canonical nucleotide sequences of or and However, only and but not sequences expanded. Finally, Vγ6 T cells were a predominant γδ T cell subset that produced IL-17A as well as IL-22, TNF, and IFNγ, indicating a broad and substantial role for clonal Vγ6Vδ4 T cells in immunity against skin infections.