Work

Lymph node sterol metabolite drives chemokine-independent lymphocyte trafficking for immune activation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Naïve lymphocytes trafficking from blood to draining lymph nodes (dLNs) is essential for establishing effective immune defense and surveillance, which is primarily mediated by CCL21-CCR7 axis. However, CCL21 is paradoxically suppressed during pathogen invading or tumor progression. Whether and how the lymphocytes are recruited to dLNs for mediating host defense via a previously unknown manner remain to be discovered. A recent study reveals that high-endothelial venules and Langerhans cells in dLNs produce oxysterols, which serve as compensatory chemoattractants to recruit naïve lymphocytes for immune activation. These findings unveil a fundamental paradigm shift in lymphocyte trafficking from chemokine-dependent to sterol metabolite-mediated recruitment, and underscore the therapeutic potential of targeting metabolic reprogramming in empowering lymphocyte trafficking for immune responses against infection and cancer.

Source: Immunity & Inflammation

DOI: 10.1007/s44466-025-00003-3

Authors: Jianru Chen, Xuetao Cao

Institutions: Xijing Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Chemokine receptors and signaling

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China