title: Group 1 CD1-restricted T cells take center stage.
abstract: The recognition of lipid antigens by T cells is a complex and fascinating phenomenon. The MHC-like molecules of the CD1 family have evolved to present a wide variety of both self and foreign lipids for recognition by T-cell receptors. While much progress has been made in our understanding of the NKT cells that recognize lipids presented by CD1d molecules, our knowledge of the T-cell populations directed at the related group 1 CD1 molecules, i.e. CD1a, CD1b and CD1c, has lagged behind. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, a study identifies a surprisingly large portion of human peripheral blood T cells as being autoreactive to the group 1 CD1 proteins. This work and other recent developments highlight the presence of a substantial number of unconventional T cells as part of our normal T-cell repertoire. This interesting finding is discussed in details in this commentary.
authors.affiliation: Integrated Department of immunology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA.
authors.forename: Mary H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gapin
mesh_terms: D017951:Antigen Presentation; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D001324:Autoantigens; D015551:Autoimmunity; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008055:Lipids / Q000276:immunology; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018949:Antigens, CD1; D001324:Autoantigens; D008055:Lipids; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell