A CD1d-dependent antagonist inhibits the activation of invariant NKT cells and prevents development of allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity.

Airway Hyperreactivity Prevents Development of Allergen-Induced Activation of Invariant NKT Cells and A CD1d-Dependent Antagonist Inhibits the

Cutting edge: invariant V alpha 14 NKT cells are required for allergen-induced airway inflammation and hyperreactivity in an experimental asthma model.

Airway hyperreactivity (AHR), eosinophilic inflammation with a Th2-type cytokine profile, and specific Th2-mediated IgE production characterize allergic asthma. In this paper, we show that OVA-immunized Jalpha18(-/-) mice, which are exclusively deficient in the invariant Valpha14(+) (iValpha14), CD1d-restricted NKT cells, exhibit impaired AHR and airway eosinophilia, decreased IL-4 and IL-5 pro...

Ozone exposure in a mouse model induces airway hyperreactivity that requires the presence of natural killer T cells and IL-17

Exposure to ozone, which is a major component of air pollution, induces a form of asthma that occurs in the absence of adaptive immunity. Although ozone-induced asthma is characterized by airway neutrophilia, and not eosinophilia, it is nevertheless associated with airway hyperreactivity (AHR), which is a cardinal feature of asthma. Because AHR induced by allergens requires the presence of natu...

Glycolipid activation of invariant T cell receptor+ NK T cells is sufficient to induce airway hyperreactivity independent of conventional CD4+ T cells.

Asthma is an inflammatory lung disease, in which conventional CD4+ T cells producing IL-4/IL-13 appear to play an obligatory pathogenic role. Here we show, in a mouse model of asthma, that activation of pulmonary IL-4/IL-13 producing invariant TCR+ CD1d-restricted natural killer T (NKT) cells is sufficient for the development of airway hyperreactivity (AHR), a cardinal feature of asthma, in the...

Differential role of thymic stromal lymphopoietin in the induction of airway hyperreactivity and Th2 immune response in antigen-induced asthma with respect to natural killer T cell function.

Asthma is an inflammatory lung disease, in which CD1d-restricted natural killer T (NKT) cells play an important pathogenic role. Also, recent reports indicated that a cytokine, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), is essential for the development of antigen-induced asthma. Here we examined the relationship between NKT cells and TSLP in a mouse model of asthma. NKT cells express TSLP receptor as...