Role of γδT cells in liver diseases and its relationship with intestinal microbiota

gamma delta T cells are unconventional T lymphocytes that bridge innate and adaptive immunity. Based on the composition of T cell receptor and the cytokines produced, gamma delta T cells can be divided into diverse subsets that may be present at different locations, including the liver, epithelial layer of the gut, the dermis and so on. Many of these cells perform specific functions in liver diseases, such as viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver diseases, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver cirrhosis and liver cancers. In this review, we discuss the distribution, subsets, functions of gamma delta T cells and the relationship between the microbiota and gamma delta T cells in common hepatic diseases. As gamma delta T cells have been used to cure hematological and solid tumors, we are interested in gamma delta T cell-based immunotherapies to treat liver diseases.