Type II alveolar cell MHCII improves respiratory viral disease outcomes while exhibiting limited antigen presentation

Sushila A. Toulmin (), Chaitali Bhadiadra, Andrew J. Paris, Jeffrey H. Lin, Jeremy Katzen, Maria C. Basil, Edward E. Morrisey, G. Scott Worthen and Laurence C. Eisenlohr ()
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Sushila A. Toulmin: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Chaitali Bhadiadra: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Andrew J. Paris: University of Pennsylvania
Jeffrey H. Lin: University of Pennsylvania
Jeremy Katzen: University of Pennsylvania
Maria C. Basil: University of Pennsylvania
Edward E. Morrisey: University of Pennsylvania
G. Scott Worthen: University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Laurence C. Eisenlohr: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract Type II alveolar cells (AT2s) are critical for basic respiratory homeostasis and tissue repair after lung injury. Prior studies indicate that AT2s also express major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) molecules, but how MHCII expression by AT2s is regulated and how it contributes to host defense remain unclear. Here we show that AT2s express high levels of MHCII independent of conventional inflammatory stimuli, and that selective loss of MHCII from AT2s in mice results in modest worsening of respiratory virus disease following influenza and Sendai virus infections. We also find that AT2s exhibit MHCII presentation capacity that is substantially limited compared to professional antigen presenting cells. The combination of constitutive MHCII expression and restrained antigen presentation may position AT2s to contribute to lung adaptive immune responses in a measured fashion, without over-amplifying damaging inflammation.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23619-6

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