In the last few years a new population of lymphocytes that belongs to the innate arm of the immune system has been identified and studied extensively. Because of their antigen-independent activation and lymphoid morphology these cells have been termed “Innate Lymphoid Cells“ (ILCs).

In recent studies by us and others, it has been shown that IL-5- and IL-13-producing ILCs are crucial for the regulation of eosinophil abundance and the differentiation of alternatively activated macrophages in various tissues. Thereby, and by producing mediators that directly enhance epithelial regeneration, these ILCs can contribute to tissue remodeling and repair processes after acute tissue injury.

First evidence indicates that ILCs are present in the healthy human and murine kidney and that the sustained expansion of kidney-residing ILCs by systemic cytokine treatment can enhance tissue repair in mouse models of kidney injury. The role of ILC subtypes in the kidney as a source of T helper-cell-associated cytokines and their function in renal inflammation await further study.

The long-term aim of the Emmy Noether Research Group, funded by the DFG since March 2015, will be to evaluate kidney-residing ILCs as a potential therapeutic target for modulation of the immune response in inflammatory kidney diseases.

• Interleukin-9 protects from early podocyte injury and progressive glomerulosclerosis in Adriamycin-induced nephropathy.

  Xiong T, Attar M, Gnirck AC, Wunderlich M, Becker M, Rickassel C, Puelles VG, Meyer-Schwesinger C, Wiech T, Nies JF, Divivier M, Fuchs T, Schulze Zur Wiesch J, Taipaleenmäki H, Hoxha E, Wirtz S, Huber TB, Panzer U, Turner JE.Kidney Int. 2020 Sep

• Innate Lymphoid Cells in Renal Inflammation.

  Becker M, Gnirck AC, Turner JEFront Immunol. 2020 Jan

• Endogenous IL-22 is dispensable for tissue protection in experimental glomerulonephritis.

  Gnirck AC, Wunderlich M, Becker M, Xiong T, Weinert E, Meyer-Schwesinger C, Dumoutier L, Renauld JC, Huber S, Panzer U, Turner JEAm J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2019 Apr

• T cell-derived IFN-γ downregulates protective group 2 innate lymphoid cells in murine lupus erythematosus. 

  Düster M, Becker M, Gnirck AC, Wunderlich M, Panzer U, Turner JEEur J Immunol. 2018 Aug

• Innate lymphoid cells in autoimmunity and chronic inflammatory diseases. 

  Xiong T, Turner JESemin Immunopathol. 2018 Jul

• Innate Lymphoid Cells – Key players in tissue-specific immunity. 

  Turner JE, Gasteiger GSemin Immunopathol. 2018 Jul

• Tissue-Resident Lymphocytes in the Kidney. 

  Turner JE, Becker M, Mittrücker HW, Panzer UJ Am Soc Nephrol. 2018 Feb

• Natural killers: the bad guys in fibrosis? 

  Turner JEKidney Int. 2017 Jul

• IL-33-mediated expansion of type 2 innate lymphoid cells protects from progressive glomerulosclerosis

  Riedel JH, Becker M, Kopp K, Düster M, Brix SR, Meyer-Schwesinger C, Kluth LA, Gnirck AC, Attar M, Krohn S, Fehse B, Stahl RA, Panzer U, Turner JEJ Am Soc Nephrol. 2017 Jul