Natural killer T cell

Natural killer T (NKT) cells are a heterogeneous group of T cells that share properties of both T cells and Natural killer cells. Many of these cells recognize the non-polymorphic CD1d molecule, an antigen-presenting molecule that binds self and foreign lipids and glycolipids. They constitute only approximately 1% of all peripheral blood T cells. Natural killer T cells are known to be able to recognize and respond to a variety of diseases such as cancer, infections, autoimmunity, and inflammation.

Function

NKT cells are thought to bridge the innate and adaptive immune responses. They are able to recognize and respond to a variety of diseases such as cancer, infections, autoimmunity, and inflammation. They are also involved in the regulation of immune responses, tissue homeostasis, and inflammation.

Types

There are two main types of NKT cells, type I and type II. Type I NKT cells recognize lipid antigens presented by CD1d, a molecule found on the surface of various antigen-presenting cells. These cells are also known as invariant NKT cells (iNKT cells) because their T-cell receptor (TCR) is semi-invariant. Type II NKT cells are CD1d-restricted T cells that express a more diverse TCR repertoire.

Clinical significance

NKT cells have been implicated in a variety of disease states including cancer, infection, autoimmunity, and inflammation. They have been shown to have potent anti-tumor effects in a variety of cancer models. In addition, they have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

See also

• T cell
• Natural killer cell
• Immune system
• Autoimmunity
• Inflammation

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