A Subset of Immune T-Cells Protects Against Metabolic Syndrome in Mouse Model

Perforin is a protein that creates transmembrane tubules and is capable of lysing non-specifically a variety of target cells. This protein is one of the main cytolytic proteins of cytolytic granules, and it is known to be a key effector molecule for T-cell- and natural killer-cell-mediated cytolysis.

The investigators reported in the September 15, 2015, online edition of the journal Immunity that the perforin-deficient mice progressively gained weight and exhibited features of metabolic syndrome. This phenotype was associated with an altered repertoire of T-cells residing in adipose tissue and could be completely prevented by T-cell depletion in vivo.

A similar impact of perf-DCs on inflammatory T-cells was also found in a well-defined model of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephlalomyelitis (EAE). Thus, perf-DCs probably represent a regulatory cell subpopulation critical for protection from metabolic syndrome and autoimmunity.

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Weizmann Institute of Science