Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026
08:37
Purification and Expansion of Mouse Invariant Natural Killer T Cells for in vitro and in vivo Studies
Published on: February 15, 2021
Invariant NKT cells: regulation and function during viral infection
Jennifer A Juno1, Yoav Keynan, Keith R Fowke
1Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Plos Pathogens
|August 24, 2012
Summary
Invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT) link innate and adaptive immunity, influencing viral infections and vaccine responses. Understanding iNKT cells offers new avenues for treating infectious diseases and enhancing immunity.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Natural killer T (NKT) cells are lymphocytes with NK cell markers.
- Invariant NKT (iNKT) cells, a subset, use a restricted T cell receptor (TCR) and recognize CD1d-restricted lipid ligands.
- iNKT cells bridge innate and adaptive immunity, impacting infectious disease, allergy, autoimmunity, and cancer surveillance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on iNKT cell involvement in viral infections.
- To identify knowledge gaps and future research opportunities.
- To highlight the use of iNKT ligands as vaccine adjuvants.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on iNKT cell activity in human and mouse models of viral infections.
- Analysis of studies on iNKT cell function in various viral contexts, including HIV, influenza, and dengue.
- Examination of research on iNKT cell-targeted vaccine adjuvant strategies.
Main Results:
- iNKT cell activity may play a role in controlling immune activation during infections like HIV.
- iNKT cells exhibit novel effector functions, such as IL-22 production and modulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, during influenza infection.
- Emerging evidence suggests iNKT cells modulate responses to pathogens like dengue virus.
Conclusions:
- iNKT cells are crucial players in the immune response to viral infections.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate iNKT cell roles in human infections and harness their potential in vaccine development.
- Targeting iNKT ligands holds promise for improving vaccine-induced cellular immunity.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens
The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
01:28Cells of the Innate Immune Response
The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
01:27Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
01:25Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes
Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
01:30Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...
01:22T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection
T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...