Recent advances in the role of NKT cells in allergic diseases and asthma

Asthma is the result of chronic airway inflammation that is dominated by the presence of eosinophils and CD4(+) T lymphocytes. CD4(+) T cells include several subsets and play a critical role in orchestrating the inflammation, predominantly by secreting interleukin-4 and interleukin-13. Recently, research identified a new subset of T cells, natural killer T (NKT) cells, which also express the CD4 marker. In contrast to conventional CD4(+) T cells, NKT cells do not respond to peptide antigens, but rather to glycolipids. In animal models of asthma, direct activation of NKT cells by glycolipids results in the secretion of extensive amounts of cytokines and triggers the development of airway hyperreactivity. Moreover, in patients with chronic asthma, NKT cells can be found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids in significant amounts. These data strongly suggest that NKT cells play an important role in asthma pathogenesis.