Recent advances in neuroscience and immunology have shown that cholinergic signals are vital in the regulation of inflammation and immunity. Choline acetyltransferase+ (ChAT+) lymphocytes have the capacity to biosynthesize and release acetylcholine, the cognate ligand for cholinergic receptors. Acetylcholine-producing T cells relay neural signals in the 'inflammatory reflex' that regulate cytokine release in spleen. Mice deficient in acetylcholine-producing T cells have increased blood pressure, show reduced local vasodilatation and viral control in lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection, and display changes in gut microbiota compared with littermates. These observations indicate that ChAT+ lymphocytes play physiologically important roles in regulation of inflammation and anti-microbial defense. However, the full scope and importance of ChAT+ lymphocytes in immunity and vascular biology remains to be elucidated. Here, we review key findings in this emerging area.

中文翻译：

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产生乙酰胆碱的淋巴细胞在免疫生物学中的功能。

神经科学和免疫学的最新进展表明，胆碱能信号在炎症和免疫调节中至关重要。胆碱乙酰转移酶+（ChAT +）淋巴细胞具有生物合成和释放乙酰胆碱的能力，乙酰胆碱是胆碱能受体的同源配体。产生乙酰胆碱的T细胞在“炎症反射”中传递神经信号，从而调节脾脏中细胞因子的释放。与同窝幼仔相比，缺乏产生乙酰胆碱的T细胞的小鼠血压升高，在淋巴细胞性脉络膜脑膜炎病毒感染中局部血管舒张和病毒控制降低，肠道菌群发生变化。这些观察结果表明，ChAT +淋巴细胞在调节炎症和抗微生物防御中起着重要的生理作用。然而，ChAT +淋巴细胞在免疫和血管生物学中的完整范围和重要性仍有待阐明。在这里，我们回顾了这个新兴领域的主要发现。