Human CD1c-autoreactive T-cells recognise Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected antigen-presenting cells and display cytotoxic effector programmes.

Human CD1c-autoreactive T-cells exhibit cytotoxic responses and reduce Mtb burden in infected antigen-presenting cells, with 50% showing enhanced activation during infection.

• Why it matters: Understanding non-classical T-cell pathways in TB is crucial because their roles in human immunity are poorly defined, and TB remains the leading cause of death from infection globally.
• What they did: The study used engineered human APC systems and single-cell transcriptomics to analyze CD1c-autoreactive T-cell responses, revealing their phenotypic landscape and functional capabilities during Mtb infection.
• The result: Findings show these T-cells respond more strongly to Mtb-infected APCs, displaying cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion, and can reduce Mtb burden, suggesting they are a candidate axis for lipid-directed immunity in TB.