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. 2019 Sep 6;27(Suppl):S114–S121. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2019.06.025

Figure 1.

Figure 1

MAIT cells activation and function in immunity. MAIT cells are innate lymphoid cells, which express a Vα7.2/19 Jα33 semi-invariant TCR, several tissue-homing cytokine receptors, and several markers that classify them as effector (CD44, CD27) and memory (CD45RO) immune cells. MAIT cells are able to recognize pathogens directly through recognition of riboflavin-derived antigens presented by MR1. They are also activated indirectly by IL-12 and IL-18 in diverse inflammatory contexts. In response, they secrete Th1 and Th17 cytokines, and acquire the ability to kill bacteria-infected cells with granzyme B and perforin. This killing action is restricted by the engagement of the TCR with MR1 exposing riboflavin-derived antigen.