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Innate lymphoid cells: Potent early mediators of the host immune response during sepsis

Cellular & Molecular Immunology volume 17, pages 1114–1116 (2020)Cite this article

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Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, resulting in very high mortality. Dysfunction of the tightly regulated immune response occurs when the body exerts an exacerbated hyperinflammatory response that is counteracted by an anti-inflammatory response, which results in immune paralysis if it is sustained for long.

ILCs are colocalized with adaptive lymphocytes in lymphoid tissues, and a high degree of interaction between these cells is seen throughout the lifetime of an individual. Acute injuries, such as sepsis, trauma, and cardiac arrest, are associated with biological modifications in circulating lymphocyte subsets, including ILCs. During the initial phase of septic syndrome, myeloid cells cause protracted hyper- and hypoinflammatory responses, creating a distinct cytokine milieu. A significant contribution to this cytokine profile may also be due to the ILC response, leading to host defense, homeostasis, and tissue repair. ILCs respond rapidly to microbial and parasitic infections. Although the initiation and effector functions are similar to those of myeloid innate cells and helper T cells, respectively, the regulation, inhibition, and termination of the ILC response follow mechanisms different from those of other adaptive and innate immune cells. Therefore, a derailment at any phase of an ILC response may also elicit a septic episode or worsen an already-active sepsis syndrome to septic shock and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS). The possible route through which ILCs lead to a dysregulated host response is depicted in Fig. 1.

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Fig. 1

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  1. Center for Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, 682041, Kerala, India

    M. Theertha, S. Sanju & Ullas Mony

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India

    Veeraraghavan Vishnu Priya

  3. BD Biosciences, Singapore, Singapore

    Paresh Jain

  4. Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, 682041, Kerala, India

    Praveen K. Varma

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  1. M. Theertha
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Correspondence to Ullas Mony.

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Theertha, M., Sanju, S., Priya, V.V. et al. Innate lymphoid cells: Potent early mediators of the host immune response during sepsis. Cell Mol Immunol 17, 1114–1116 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-020-0383-1

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