Up-regulation of CD1d expression restores the immunoregulatory function of NKT cells and prevents autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice.

Nonobese Diabetic Mice Cells and Prevents Autoimmune Diabetes in the Immunoregulatory Function of NKT Up-Regulation of CD1d Expression Restores

Regulation of immune responses by natural killer T cells.

Natural killer T (NKT) cells, which comprise a minor population of T cells in primary and secondary lymphoid organs, possess phenotypic characteristics of both NK and T cells. NKT cells respond to various external stimuli by an early burst of cytokines, including IL-4 and IFN-gamma. Thus, a key immunoregulatory role has been attributed to them. Autoimmune diseases, especially type I diabetes (T...

Activation of CD1d-restricted T cells protects NOD mice from developing diabetes by regulating dendritic cell subsets.

CD1d-restricted invariant NKT (iNKT) cells are immunoregulatory cells whose loss exacerbates diabetes in nonobese diabetic (NOD) female mice. Here, we show that the relative numbers of iNKT cells from the pancreatic islets of NOD mice decrease at the time of conversion from peri-insulitis to invasive insulitis and diabetes. Conversely, NOD male mice who have a low incidence of diabetes showed a...

Testing the NKT cell hypothesis of human IDDM pathogenesis.

Defects in IL-4-producing CD1d-autoreactive NKT cells have been implicated in numerous Th1-mediated autoimmune diseases, including diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and systemic sclerosis. Particular attention has been focused on autoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) because nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice and humans with IDDM are both reported to express s...

Potential of targeting natural killer T cells for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Abstract Natural killer (NK) T cells emerge as unique lymphocytes subsets implicated in the regulation of autoimmunity. Abnormalities in the numbers and functions of NKT cells have been observed in patients with diverse autoimmune diseases as well as in a variety of mouse strains that are genetically predisposed for the development of autoimmune diseases. Unlike conventional T cells that recogn...