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Nature Immunology 10, 75–82 (1 January 2009) | doi:10.1038/ni.1681

Influence of the transcription factor ROR|[gamma]|t on the development of NKp46+ cell populations in gut and skin

Carmelo Luci , Ana Reynders , Ivaylo I Ivanov , Celine Cognet , Laurent Chiche , Lionel Chasson , Jean Hardwigsen , Esperanza Anguiano , Jacques Banchereau , Damien Chaussabel , Marc Dalod , Dan R Littman , Eric Vivier & Elena Tomasello

NKp46+CD3|[minus]| natural killer lymphocytes isolated from blood, lymphoid organs, lung, liver and uterus can produce granule-dependent cytotoxicity and interferon-γ. Here we identify in dermis, gut lamina propria and cryptopatches distinct populations of NKp46+CD3|[minus]| cells with a diminished capacity to degranulate and produce interferon-γ. In the gut, expression of the transcription factor RORγt, which is involved in the development of lymphoid tissue–inducer cells, defined a previously unknown subset of NKp46+CD3|[minus]| lymphocytes. Unlike RORγt|[minus]| lamina propria and dermis natural killer cells, gut RORγt+NKp46+ cells produced interleukin 22. Our data show that lymphoid tissue–inducer cells and natural killer cells shared unanticipated similarities and emphasize the heterogeneity of NKp46+CD3|[minus]| cells in innate immunity, lymphoid organization and local tissue repair.