Seminar: Benjamin Hurrell

Decoding the playbook: Key elements regulating ILC2 function in inflammation

Elements such as iron are critical in orchestrating complex biological processes that maintain health. With many of the mechanisms involved in systemic iron homeostasis characterized however, attention is now increasingly turning to its role in specific tissues and immune cells. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) in the lungs rapidly uptake transferrin-bound iron during inflammation, as cellular iron deprivation reprograms ILC2 metabolism and effector function, directly impacting the severity of airway hyperreactivity in experimental asthma models. Defining how elements, including iron, regulate ILC2 function could lead to more effective strategies to control the magnitude of type 2 inflammation in diseases.