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Natural killer T cells and haemopoiesis
Author(s) -
Karadimitris Anastasios,
Patterson Scott,
Spanoudakis Emmanouil
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2006.06187.x
Subject(s) - cd1d , immunology , natural killer t cell , biology , immune system , haematopoiesis , pathogenesis , major histocompatibility complex , disease , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , t cell , medicine , pathology
Summary Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a small but powerful subset of regulatory T cells involved in the modulation of a variety of normal and pathological immune responses. In contrast to conventional or other types of regulatory T cells, they are activated by glycolipid and phospholipid ligands that are presented to them by the non‐polymorphic, major histocompatibility complex class I‐like molecule CD1d. The in‐depth understanding of their function has resulted in successful, iNKT cell‐centred experimental therapeutic interventions including prevention of graft‐ versus ‐host disease and anti‐leukaemia effects. Extending these successes into the clinical arena will require better understanding of their contribution to the pathogenesis of human, including haematological, diseases.