In vivo regulation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by NK cells: alteration of primary adaptive responses.

Innate immune responses provide the host with its first line of defense against infections. Signals generated by subsets of lymphocytes, including NK cells, NKT cells, and APC during this early host response determine the nature of downstream adaptive immune responses. In the present study, we have examined the role of innate NK cells in an autoimmune model through the use of primary immunization with the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide to induce experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).

Regulation of ITAM-positive receptors: role of IL-12 and IL-18.

Our previous studies have identified mechanisms by which cytokine production, blocked by Ly49G2 receptor cross-linking, can be overridden. In this study we analyzed the regulation of other ITAM-positive receptor signaling on NK, NKT, and T cells and characterized the biochemical pathways involved in this signaling. Our studies demonstrate that cross-linking of NKG2D and NK1.