Lipid mediators as regulators of human ILC2 function in allergic diseases

- ILC2 play an important role in type 2 immunity.
- IL-12 drives ILC2-ILC1 plasticity.
- Bioactive lipids control ILC2 function and accumulation.
- ILC2 may provide a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of allergic diseases.

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) are specialized in type 2 immunity. ILC2 are activated early in immune responses and, despite their low abundance, are able to initiate and amplify allergic inflammation by orchestrating other type 2 immune cells. Based on recent discoveries, the spectrum of ILC2 regulating factors has been extended. It is now well established that not only epithelial cell-derived innate cytokines, but also bioactive lipids can regulate ILC2 activity and accumulation. Additionally, ILC2 appear to be susceptible to changes in the cytokine milieu and can acquire an ILC1-like phenotype due to a high degree of cellular plasticity. As ILC2 are fundamentally involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diseases, they represent a promising therapeutic target for allergic airway and skin diseases.In this review we summarize the current knowledge about ILC2 biology in the allergy context, with a particular focus on the emerging role of lipid mediators in regulating ILC2 function.