Oxford Events, the new replacement for OxTalks, will launch on 16th March. From now until the launch of Oxford Events, new events cannot be published or edited on OxTalks while all existing records are migrated to the new platform. The existing OxTalks site will remain available to view during this period.
From 16th, Oxford Events will launch on a new website: events.ox.ac.uk, and event submissions will resume. You will need a Halo login to submit events. Full details are available on the Staff Gateway.
Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells are an abundant population of tissue homing T-cells, possessing TCRs capable of recognising bacterially-derived riboflavin synthesis intermediates. However, their ability to respond to viral pathogens has not been defined. We addressed whether human MAIT cell populations responded to viral infections in vivo and the mechanism behind this. We find consistent evidence for MAIT cell activation during infection with Dengue virus, Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Influenza Virus. This activation – driving cytokine release and upregulation of Granzyme B – was TCR-independent but dependent on specific cytokines, notably IL-18 in synergy with IL-12, IL-15 and/or type I interferons. IL-18 levels and activation of MAIT cells correlated with disease severity in acute Dengue infection. Furthermore, treatment of HCV with interferon-α led to specific activation of MAIT cells in vivo. Together these data demonstrate MAIT cells as virally-responsive and suggest a role in both host defence and immunopathology.
