Role of fibroblast-immune crosstalk in kidney, lung, and skin tertiary lymphoid structures
Author(s)
Cross, Amy
Shelley, Jennifer
Newman, Rebecca
Strid, Jessica
Denton, Alice E
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are organized aggregates of lymphocytes, myeloid cells, and stromal cells that form at sites of inflammation, providing adaptive immune responses outside of secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs). Found in various pathological conditions-including chronic infections, cancer, organ transplantation, autoimmune diseases, and allergy-the presence of TLSs is linked to potentiation of local immunity. TLSs can be beneficial or detrimental, depending on context, and have been implicated as prognostic for disease severity and therapy response. Architecturally, TLSs resemble SLOs with distinct T and B cell areas supported by fibroblasts that secrete chemokines and cytokines that support immune cells. These structures must be created de novo in non-lymphoid tissues; thus, the steps for TLS formation mimic, but do not completely copy, those of SLO formation. The accumulation of immune cells in tissues in inflammatory settings can initiate remodeling of tissue fibroblasts, leading to TLS formation; this process is common across tissues, although there are tissue- and disease-specific pathways that impact TLS formation in certain contexts. This review will explore the immune-stromal crosstalk in kidney, lung, and skin TLSs across a range of disease settings, highlighting shared as well as tissue-specific mechanisms for TLS formation.
Date Issued
2025-09-01
Date Acceptance
2025-08-15
Citation
Immunological Reviews, 2025, 334 (1)
ISSN
0105-2896
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
e70059
Journal / Book Title
Immunological Reviews
Volume
334
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). Immunological Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40884054
Subjects
Animals
Cell Communication
Fibroblasts
Humans
Inflammation
Kidney
Lung
Skin
Tertiary Lymphoid Structures
fibroblast
germinal center
kidney
lung
skin
tertiary lymphoid structure
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
e70059
Date Publish Online
2025-08-29