Science and Research

Tracheal tuft cells release ATP and link innate to adaptive immunity in pneumonia

Tracheal tuft cells shape immune responses in the airways. While some of these effects have been attributed to differential release of either acetylcholine, leukotriene C4 and/or interleukin-25 depending on the activating stimuli, tuft cell-dependent mechanisms underlying the recruitment and activation of immune cells are incompletely understood. Here we show that Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection activates mouse tuft cells, which release ATP via pannexin 1 channels. Taste signaling through the Trpm5 channel is essential for bacterial tuft cell activation and ATP release. We demonstrate that activated tuft cells recruit dendritic cells to the trachea and lung. ATP released by tuft cells initiates dendritic cell activation, phagocytosis and migration. Tuft cell stimulation also involves an adaptive immune response through recruitment of IL-17A secreting T helper cells. Collectively, the results provide a molecular framework defining tuft cell dependent regulation of both innate and adaptive immune responses in the airways to combat bacterial infection.

  • Abdel Wadood, N.
  • Hollenhorst, M. I.
  • Elhawy, M. I.
  • Zhao, N.
  • Englisch, C.
  • Evers, S. B.
  • Sabachvili, M.
  • Maxeiner, S.
  • Wyatt, A.
  • Herr, C.
  • Burkhart, A. K.
  • Krause, E.
  • Yildiz, D.
  • Beckmann, A.
  • Kusumakshi, S.
  • Riethmacher, D.
  • Bischoff, M.
  • Iden, S.
  • Becker, S. L.
  • Canning, B. J.
  • Flockerzi, V.
  • Gudermann, T.
  • Chubanov, V.
  • Bals, R.
  • Meier, C.
  • Boehm, U.
  • Krasteva-Christ, G.

Keywords

  • Animals
  • *Immunity, Innate
  • *Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism
  • *Adaptive Immunity
  • *Dendritic Cells/immunology/metabolism
  • *Pseudomonas aeruginosa/immunology
  • Mice
  • *Trachea/immunology
  • *Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • *Pseudomonas Infections/immunology
  • *TRPM Cation Channels/metabolism/immunology
  • Interleukin-17/metabolism/immunology
  • Phagocytosis
  • Pneumonia/immunology/microbiology/metabolism
  • Lung/immunology
  • Connexins/metabolism
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Female
  • Male
  • Tuft Cells
Publication details
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-55936-5
Journal: Nat Commun
Pages: 584 
Number: 1
Work Type: Original
Location: CPC-M
Disease Area: PALI
Partner / Member: KUM
Access-Number: 39794305

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