title: NKT-cell subsets: promoters and protectors in inflammatory liver disease.
abstract: Natural killer T cells (NKT) are innate-like cells which are abundant in liver sinusoids and express the cell surface receptors of NK cells (e.g., NK1.1 (mouse) or CD161+/CD56+(human)) as well as an antigen receptor (TCR) characteristic of conventional T cells. NKT cells recognize lipid antigens in the context of CD1d, a non-polymorphic MHC class I-like molecule. Activation of NKT cells has a profound influence on the immune response against tumors and infectious organisms and in autoimmune diseases. NKT cells can be categorized into at least two distinct subsets: iNKT or type I use a semi-invariant TCR, whereas type II NKT TCRs are more diverse. Recent evidence suggests that NKT-cell subsets can play opposing roles early in non-microbial liver inflammation in that type I NKT are proinflammatory whereas type II NKT cells inhibit type I NKT-mediated liver injury.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Autoimmunity, Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, San Diego, CA 92121, USA. vkumar@tpims.org
authors.forename: Vipin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D018448:Models, Immunological; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators
keywords: ALD; ConA; DC; Hepatitis; IRI; Inflammation; KC; Kupffer cells; MCD; MHC; NAFLD; NK; NKT; NKT cells; OPN; SCD; Sulfatide; T cell receptor; TAA; TCR; alcoholic liver disease; concavalin A; dendritic cells; ischemic reperfusion injury; major histocompatibility complex; methionine choline deficient diet; natural killer T cells; natural killer cells; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; osteopontin; sickle cell disease; thioacetamide; α-galactosylceramide; αGalCer