Human Memory Th17 Cell Populations Change Into Anti-inflammatory Cells With Regulatory Capacity Upon Exposure to Active Vitamin D

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by an aberrantly activated immune system, resulting in tissue damage and functional disability in patients. An important therapeutic goal is to restore the deregulated immunological balance between pro- A nd anti-inflammatory T cells. This imbalance is illustrated by elevated levels and activity of memory Th17 cell populations, such as Th17, Th1/Th17, and Th17.1 cells, in various autoimmune diseases. These cells are characterized by the chemokine receptor CCR6, RORC expression and production of IL-17A, IFNγ, and TNFα. Using rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as a model of autoimmune disease, we here demonstrate that pro-inflammatory memory CCR6+ Th cells can swi…