Gut Microbiota-Derived Unconventional T Cell Ligands: Contribution to Host Immune Modulation

Besides the prototypic innate and adaptive pathways, immune responses by innate-like lymphocytes have gained significant attention due to their unique roles. Among innate-like lymphocytes, unconventional T cells such as NKT cells and mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells recognize small nonpeptide molecules of specific chemical classes. Endogenous or microbial ligands are loaded to MHC class I–like molecule CD1d or MR1, and inducing immediate effector T cell and ligand structure is one of the key determinants of NKT/MAIT cell functions. Unconventional T cells are in close, constant contact with symbiotic microbes at the mucosal layer, and CD1d/MR1 can accommodate diverse metabolites produced by gut microbiota. There is a strong interest to identify novel immunoactive molecules of endobiotic (symbiont-produced) origin as new NKT/MAIT cell ligands, as well as new cognate Ags for previously uncharacterized unconventional T cell subsets. Further studies will open an possibility to explore basic biology as well as therapeutic potential.