title: Mucosal-associated invariant T cells in clinical diseases.
abstract: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T cells that recognize microbial infection via vitamin metabolites. The discovery of MAIT cells in the past two decades and the recent discovery of MR1 ligands has opened a new field and potential area for cellular immunotherapy using these unique cells. Their evolutionary conservation in mammals underscore their biological role in the host. In the past two years, we have been involved in the generation of MR1 tetramers as a tool for identification of these cells. Many groups have studied the role of these cells in clinical diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Here, we provide an up-to-date comprehensive review of clinical disease that have been studied with regards to MAIT cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Original articles and review articles under the topic of MAIT cells and their relation to clinical diseases, both in human and animal models were included in the review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MAIT cells are potential candidates for future cellular immunotherapy. However, more understanding of the biological role of MAIT cells need to be elucidated first.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Division, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Rangsima
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reantragoon
authors.forename: Norasate
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boonpattanaporn
authors.forename: Alexandra Jane
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCluskey
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology