title: The cytokine profile of human NKT cells and PBMCs is dependent on donor sex and stimulus.
abstract: Sex-related variations in natural killer T (NKT) cells may influence immunoregulation and outcome of infectious and autoimmune diseases. We analyzed sex-specific differences in peripheral blood NKTs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from men and women and determined the frequencies of NKT cells and their subpopulations [CD4(+); CD8(+); double negative (DN)] and the levels of cytokine production following stimulation with the NKT cell ligands α-Galactosylceramide (αGalCer) and Entamoeba histolytica lipopeptidephosphoglycan (Lotter et al. in PLoS Pathog 5(5):e1000434, 2009). Total and DN NKT cells were more abundant in women than in men. In women, αGalCer induced higher production of intracellular IFNγ, IL-4, IL-17 and TNF by CD4(+) and DN(+)NKT cells. Both ligands induced expression of multiple cytokines in PBMCs and influenced the ratio of NKT cell subpopulations during long-term culture. Although the sex-specific differences in frequencies of NKT cells and their subpopulations were marginal, the significant sex-specific differences in cytokine production might influence disease outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bernin
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fehling
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marggraff
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Egbert
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tannich
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany. lotter@bnitm.de.
authors.forename: Hannelore
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lotter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D005699:Galactosylceramides; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D010743:Phospholipids; C493154:alpha-galactosylceramide; C014643:lipopeptidophosphoglycan
keywords: Cytokines; Entamoeba histolytica; Glycolipid; Human; Immune response; NKT cells; Sex difference; αGalCer