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Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Interview: Glycolipid Antigen Presentation by CD1d and the Therapeutic Potential of NKT cell Activation
Published on: December 31, 2007
The unique role of natural killer T cells in the response to microorganisms
Emmanuel Tupin1, Yuki Kinjo, Mitchell Kronenberg
1Division of Developmental Immunology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, 9420 Athena Circle, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
Abstract:
Natural killer T (NKT) cells combine features of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Recently, it has become evident that these T cells have crucial roles in the response to infectious agents. The antigen receptor expressed by NKT cells directly recognizes unusual glycolipids that are part of the membrane of certain Gram-negative bacteria and spirochetes. Moreover, even in the absence of microbial glycolipid antigens, these T cells respond to innate cytokines produced by dendritic cells that have been activated by microbes. This indirect sensing of infection, by responding to cytokines from activated dendritic cells, allows NKT cells to react to a broad range of infectious agents.
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