Type I Natural Killer T Cells as Key Regulators of the Immune Response to Infectious Diseases.

Type I Natural Killer T Cells as Key Regulators of the Immune Response to Infectious Diseases. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2021 Mar 17;34(2): Authors: Gálvez NMS, Bohmwald K, Pacheco GA, Andrade CA, Carreño LJ, Kalergis AM Abstract SUMMARYThe immune system must work in an orchestrated way to achieve an optimal response upon detection of antigens. The cells comprising the immune response are traditionally divided into two major subsets, innate and adaptive, with particular characteristics for each type. Type I natural killer T (iNKT) cells are defined as innate-like T cells sharing features with both traditional adaptive and innate cells, such as the expression of an invariant T cell receptor (TCR) and several NK receptors. The invariant TCR in iNKT cells interacts with CD1d, a major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I)-like molecule. CD1d can bind and present antigens of lipid nature and induce the activation of iNKT cells, leading to the secretion of various cytokines, such as gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin 4 (IL-4). These cytokines will aid in the activation of other immune cells following stimulation of iNKT cells. Several molecules with the capacity to bind to CD1d have been discovered, including α-galactosylceramide. Likewise, several molecules have been synthesized that are capable of polarizing iNKT cells into different profiles, either pro- or anti-inflammatory. This versatility allows NKT cells to either aid or i...
Source: Clinical Microbiology Reviews - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Clin Microbiol Rev Source Type: research