NKT-cell subsets: promoters and protectors in inflammatory liver disease.

J Hepatol

Laboratory of Autoimmunity, Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.

Published: September 2013

Natural killer T cells (NKT) are innate-like cells which are abundant in liver sinusoids and express the cell surface receptors of NK cells (e.g., NK1.1 (mouse) or CD161+/CD56+(human)) as well as an antigen receptor (TCR) characteristic of conventional T cells. NKT cells recognize lipid antigens in the context of CD1d, a non-polymorphic MHC class I-like molecule. Activation of NKT cells has a profound influence on the immune response against tumors and infectious organisms and in autoimmune diseases. NKT cells can be categorized into at least two distinct subsets: iNKT or type I use a semi-invariant TCR, whereas type II NKT TCRs are more diverse. Recent evidence suggests that NKT-cell subsets can play opposing roles early in non-microbial liver inflammation in that type I NKT are proinflammatory whereas type II NKT cells inhibit type I NKT-mediated liver injury.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4086465PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2013.02.032DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

nkt cells
16
type nkt
12
nkt-cell subsets
8
cells
8
cells nkt
8
nkt
7
type
5
subsets promoters
4
promoters protectors
4
protectors inflammatory
4

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!