Abstract
CD4(+) T helper 17 (Th17) cells play a critical role in the adaptive immune response against extracellular pathogens. Most studies to date have focused on understanding the differentiation of Th17 cells from naive CD4(+) T cells in peripheral effector sites. However, Th17 cells are present in the thymus. In this study, we demonstrate that a population of Th17 cells, natural Th17 cells (nTh17 cells), which acquire effector function during development in the thymus before peripheral antigen exposure, shows preferential usage of T cell receptor Vβ3. nTh17 cells are dependent on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II for thymic selection, yet unlike conventional CD4(+) T cells, MHC class II expression on thymic cortical epithelium is not sufficient for their development, rather expression on medullary epithelium is necessary. Differential signaling requirements for IL-17 priming further distinguish nTh17 from conventional Th17 cells. Collectively, our findings define a Th17 population, poised to rapidly produce cytokines, that is developmentally distinct from conventional Th17 cells and that potentially functions at the interface of innate and adaptive immunity.