title: Minimal contribution of Valpha14 natural killer T cells to Th1 response and host resistance against mycobacterial infection in mice.
abstract: We elucidated the contribution of Valpha14 NKT cells to Th1 response and host resistance against mycobacterial infection. In Valpha14 NKT cell-deficient mice, host defense and DTH response to Mycobacterium bovis BCG were not different from wild-type mice after pulmonary infection. There was no significant difference in the lung concentrations of IFN-gamma between the two strains of mice. In addition, host defense to systemic infection with M. tuberculosis was similar to that of M. bovis. Our results indicate that Valpha14 NKT cells play only a marginal role, if any, in the Th1 response and host resistance to mycobacterial infection.
authors: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. kawakami@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
authors: Kazuyoshi
authors: K
authors: Kawakami
authors: Yuki
authors: Y
authors: Kinjo
authors: Kaori
authors: K
authors: Uezu
authors: Satomi
authors: S
authors: Yara
authors: Kazuya
authors: K
authors: Miyagi
authors: Yoshinobu
authors: Y
authors: Koguchi
authors: Toshinori
authors: T
authors: Nakayama
authors: Masaru
authors: M
authors: Taniguchi
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Saito
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma