Mature T Cells Can Switch Function to Better Tackle Infection, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology Study

Helper cells of the immune system can switch to become killer cells in the gut. The fate of mature T lymphocytes might be a lot more flexible than previously thought. New research from the RIKEN Center for Allergy and Immunology (RCAI) in Japan and La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology (LIAI) in the USA shows for the first time that mature CD4+ helper T lymphocytes can be re-programed to become killer-like CD8+ T lymphocytes and gain killing functions.