Hepatocytes Delete Regulatory T Cells by Enclysis, a CD4+ T Cell Engulfment Process

• DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.09.068
• Publication Date: 2019-11-05T15:57:32Z
• Authors: Scott P. Davies; Gary M. Reynolds; Alex L. Wilkinson; Xiaoyan Li; Rebecca Rose; Maanav Leekha; Yuxin S. Liu; Ratnam Gandhi; Emma Buckroyd; Joe Grove; Nicholas M. Barnes; Robin C. May; Stefan G. Hubscher; David H. Adams; Yuehua Huang; Omar Qureshi; Zania Stamataki
• Keywords: Internalization; Regulatory T cell

CD4+ T cells play critical roles in directing immunity, both as helper and regulatory (Treg) cells. Here, we demonstrate that hepatocytes can modulate cell populations through engulfment of live lymphocytes. We term this phenomenon enclysis to reflect the specific enclosure hepatocytes. Enclysis is selective for but not CD8+ cells, independent antigen-specific activation, occurs human vitro, ex vivo, vivo. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) facilitates early internalization, whereas form membrane lamellipodia or blebs mediate engulfment. internalization unaffected by wortmannin Rho kinase inhibition. Hepatocytes engulf Treg more efficiently than non-Treg cell-containing vesicles preferentially acidify overnight. Thus, a biological process with potential effects on immunomodulation opens new field research fully understand dynamics liver inflammation.