title: Altered peripheral invariant natural killer T cells in atopic dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conflicting data exist on the number of invariant NKT (iNKT) cells in atopic dermatitis (AD); furthermore, no data have been published on their functional capacity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The frequency and number of circulating CD3+6B11+ iNKT cells and their CD4+ and CD4- subpopulations were evaluated in peripheral blood obtained from 41 patients with AD by four-color flow cytometry. Likewise, functional properties of iNKT cells were measured by five-color intracellular cytokine staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number and percentage of total iNKT cells and their CD4/CD8 subpopulations were significantly lower than the controls. Of further importance, the CD4-CD8- (double negative, DN) iNKT subgroup showed the strongest positive correlation with total iNKT cells. In addition, the DN subgroup exhibited the most pronounced functional alteration with significantly decreased levels of intracellular IFNγ and significantly increased levels of intracellular IL-4 in AD patients compared with the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significantly altered number and cytokine production of iNKT cells from AD patients suggests that these cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Móricz Zs str. 22, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary. egyimesi@freemail.hu
authors.forename: Edit
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gyimesi
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: Éva
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Remenyik
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sipka
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeher
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bíró
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szegedi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma