Auto-activated T cells (ATC)

Auto-activated T cells, also known as autoreactive or hyperactivated T cells, are a population of T lymphocytes that have lost immune tolerance or are constitutively active, leading to tissue damage and chronic inflammation [1, 2]. In autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome, these cells recognize self-antigens and orchestrate an attack on the body's own tissues [1, 8]. In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, auto-activated T cells can cross the blood-brain barrier and exacerbate neuroinflammation by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines [3]. Therapeutic targeting of these cells aims to selectively deplete the activated population or inhibit their signaling pathways without compromising the resting T cell pool [3, 4]. For example, the NK cell therapy troculeucel (SNK01) is designed to identify and eliminate auto-activated T cells via specific receptor-ligand interactions involving DNAM-1 and NKG2D [3]. Other pharmacological approaches involve targeting surface markers like CD25 or costimulatory molecules to prevent the sustained activation of these pathogenic cells [4, 7].

Other names

Autoreactive T cellsHyperactivated T cellsSpontaneously activated T cellsActivated T lymphocytes

Selective depletion of activated T cell populations via NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), and inhibition of T cell activation through costimulatory blockade or metabolic modulation.