IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-MAIT17 Cells and IL-17-Driven iBALT Formation Protect Against Pulmonary Tularemia

MAIT17 Cells and IL-17-Driven iBALT Formation Protect Against Pulmonary Tularemia

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Video Summary

Sebastian from Vanderbilt discussed how innate-like lymphocytes shape pulmonary tularemia, a severe respiratory disease caused by <em>Francisella tularensis</em>. Using CD1D-deficient mice, which lack NKT cells, his lab found these mice had milder disease and survived better, despite only modest changes in bacterial burden. The most striking difference was increased formation of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (“eyeballs”/tertiary lymphoid structures). Single-cell RNA sequencing and functional experiments showed that MAIT cells become strongly activated in infection, especially in CD1D-knockout mice, and that IL-17 is critical for driving these lymphoid structures. Transfer studies suggested MAIT cells alone can protect in lymphopenic mice. In contrast, activating NKT cells seemed to suppress tertiary lymphoid structure formation. Overall, the talk proposed that MAIT cell-derived IL-17 promotes protective lung immune organization during infection, while NKT cells and other innate lymphocytes may regulate downstream myeloid and adaptive responses.

Meta Tag

Date April 16, 2026 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Room 102

Session Innate Immune Defenses in the Epithelium

Speaker Sebastian Joyce

Track Innate Immune Responses and Host Defense: Cellular Mechanisms (INC)

Year 2026

Keywords

pulmonary tularemia

Francisella tularensis

MAIT cells

IL-17

tertiary lymphoid structures

April 16, 2026 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

102

Innate Immune Defenses in the Epithelium

Sebastian Joyce

Innate Immune Responses and Host Defense: Cellular Mechanisms (INC)

2026