Antigens in tea-beverage by Kamath AB, Wang L, Das H, Li L, Reinhold VN, Bukowski JF
Human gammadelta T cells mediate innate immunity to microbes via
T cell receptor-dependent recognition of unprocessed antigens with
conserved molecular patterns. These nonpeptide alkylamine antigens
are shared by tumor cells, bacteria, parasites, and fungi but also
by edible plant products such as tea, apples, mushrooms, and wine.
Here we show that priming of gammadelta T cells with alkylamine
antigens in vitro results in a memory response to these antigens.
Such priming results also in a nonmemory response to whole bacteria
and to lipopolysaccharide, characterized by IL-12-dependent
secretion of IFN-gamma by gammadelta T cells and by gammadelta T
cell proliferation. Drinking tea, which contains l-theanine, a
precursor of the nonpeptide antigen ethylamine, primed peripheral
blood gammadelta T cells to mediate a memory response on reexposure
to ethylamine and to secrete IFN-gamma in response to bacteria.
This unique combination of innate immune response and immunologic
memory shows that gammadelta T cells can function as a bridge
between innate and acquired immunity. In addition, these data
provide an explanation for the health benefits of tea.
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