Korean J Pediatr.  2010 Feb;53(2):136-145. 10.3345/kjp.2010.53.2.136.

Natural killer T cell and pathophysiology of asthma

• Jang GC

• KMID: 2281356
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3345/kjp.2010.53.2.136

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.

Keyword

NKT cell; Asthma; CD1d molecule; alpha-GalCer

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antigen-Presenting Cells
Asthma
Autoimmune Diseases
Colitis
Communicable Diseases
Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental
Galactosylceramides
Humans
Interferon-gamma
Interleukin-4
Mice
Natural Killer T-Cells
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
T-Lymphocytes
Thyroid Gland
Thyroiditis
Viruses
Galactosylceramides
Interferon-gamma
Interleukin-4
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell