title: T cells specific for lipid antigens.
abstract: Lipid-specific T cells are important participants in human immune responses. Recognition of lipid antigens contributes to host defense against pathogens that can cause debilitating diseases, including mycobacterial, viral, and parasitic infections. Lipid-specific T cells also play important roles in various autoimmune diseases, atherosclerosis, and in tumor surveillance. A better understanding of the mechanisms that regulate lipid-reactive T-cell functions will enable the development of novel therapies across a wide range of diseases. In recent years, our laboratory has investigated lipid antigen specificities, mechanisms of lipid antigen presentation, molecular interaction of lipid antigens with CD1 antigen-presenting molecules, and the pathogenic and regulatory functions of lipid-specific T cells in a variety of disease settings. In this review, we present recent data that illustrate the critical role played by lipid-specific immune responses in host protection, with a particular focus on human studies.
authors.affiliation: Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos, Biopolis, Singapore. lucia_mori@immunol.a-star.edu.sg
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Libero
mesh_terms: D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000276:immunology*; D037182:T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D018949:Antigens, CD1; D008055:Lipids