As such, NKT cells are important in recognizing glycolipids from organisms such as Mycobacterium, which causes tuberculosis.
[4][5] Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells express high levels of and are dependent on the transcriptional regulator promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger for their development.
They are notable for their ability to respond rapidly to danger signals and pro-inflammatory cytokines.
The highly conserved TCR is made of Va24-Ja18 paired with Vb11 in humans, which is specific for glycolipid antigens.
[8] The best known antigen of iNKT cells is alpha-galactosylceramide (αGalCer), which is a synthetic form of a chemical purified from the deep sea sponge Agelas mauritianus.
Absence of microbe exposure in early development led to increased iNKT cells and immune morbidity in a mouse model.
[13] Upon activation, NKT cells are able to produce large quantities of interferon gamma, IL-4, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, as well as multiple other cytokines and chemokines (such as IL-2, IL-13, IL-17, IL-21, and TNF-alpha).
This serves as a pathway for NKT cells to fight against infections and enhance the humoral immunity.
[15] The clinical potential of NKT cells lies in the rapid release of cytokines (such as IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-4) that promote or suppress different immune responses.