title: Individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis have lower levels of circulating CD1d-restricted NKT cells.
abstract: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide from an infectious agent. Natural killer T (NKT) cells recognize mycobacterial antigens and contribute to anti-MTB immunity in mouse models. NKT cells were measured in subjects with pulmonary tuberculosis, MTB-exposed individuals, and healthy controls. NKT cell levels are selectively lower in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis than in both MTB-exposed subjects and healthy control subjects. This apparent loss of NKT cells from the peripheral blood is sustained during the 6 months after the initiation of MTB treatment. These findings indicate that NKT cells may be an important component of antituberculosis immunity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Snyder-Cappione
authors.forename: Douglas F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.forename: Joan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Duncan A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Meiklejohn
authors.forename: Fernando F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Priscilla R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Johan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: Denise S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Esper G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Kallas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000032:analysis*; D055610:Antigens, CD1d; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018949:Antigens, CD1; D055610:Antigens, CD1d; C526877:CD1D protein, human