ABSTRACT
Natural killer T (NKT) cell is a special type of T lymphocytes that has both receptor of natural killer (NK) cell (NK1.1, CD161c) and T cell (TCR) and express a conserved or invariant T cell receptor called Valpha14Jalpha18 in mice or Va24 in humans. Invariant NKT (iNKT) cell recognizes lipid antigen presented by CD1d molecules. Marine-sponge-derived glycolipid, alpha-galactosylceremide (alpha-GalCer), binds CD1d at the cell surface of antigen-presenting cells and is presented to iNKT cells. Within hours, iNKT cells become activated and start to secrete Interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma. NKT cell prevents autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, systemic lupus erythematous, inflammatory colitis, and Graves' thyroiditis, by activation with alpha-GalCer. In addition, NKT cell is associated with infectious diseases by mycobacteria, leshmania, and virus. Moreover NKT cell is associated with asthma, especially CD4+ iNKT cells. In this review, I will discuss the characteristics of NKT cell and the association with inflammatory diseases, especially asthma.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Mice , Antigen-Presenting Cells , Asthma , Autoimmune Diseases , Colitis , Communicable Diseases , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental , Galactosylceramides , Interferon-gamma , Interleukin-4 , Natural Killer T-Cells , Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell , T-Lymphocytes , Thyroid Gland , Thyroiditis , VirusesABSTRACT
Objective To expand the NKT cells in vitro and to determine the cytokine releasing of NKT cells during proliferation.Methods Several kind of methods were established to expand TCRV ?24 +/TCRV ?11 + NKT cells from PBMC or purified T lymphocyte.The levels of IL 4,IFN ?and TNF ? of NKT cells were determined by flow cytometry.Results After 19 days' expansion,the largest number of NKT cells increased (23.0?16.7)?10 3 times and the largest ratio of NKT cells to total T lymphocyte was (25.5?7.2)%.The ratio of TCRV ?11 + NKT cells that secreted IL 4,IFN ?and TNF ? was higher than the TCRV?11 T lymphocytes.Conclusion TCRV ?24 +/TCRV ?11 + NKT cells can be expanded in vitro with ? Galcer presented by CD 1d molecule.The NKT cells can also be expanded from PBMC because the monocyte lineage cells within PBMC can express CD 1d molecule and present specific glycolipids like ? Galcer to them.