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KMID : 0620920090410120866
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Experimental & Molecular Medicine
2009 Volume.41 No. 12 p.866 ~ p.872
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The presence of CD8+ invariant NKT cells in mice
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Lee Hyun-Ji
Hong Chang-Wan
Shin Jung-Hoon
Oh Soo-Hwan
Jung Sun-Do
Park Yoon-Kyung
Park Se-Ho
Hong Seok-Mann
Lee Gap-Ryol
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Abstract
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Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells develop in the thymus upon recognition of CD1d expressed on developing thymocytes. Although CD4 and CD8 coreceptors are not directly involved in the interaction between CD1d and the T cell receptors (TCRs) of iNKT cells, a conspicuous lack of CD8+ iNKT cells in mice raised the question of whether CD8+ iNKT cells are excluded due to negative selection during their thymic development, or if there is no lineage commitment for the development of murine CD8+ iNKT cells. To address this question, we analyzed iNKT cell-specific TCR Vα14+ transgenic mice, where the Vα14 transgene forces the generation of iNKT cells. This allows detailed study of the iNKT cell repertoire. We were able to identify CD8+ iNKT cells which respond to the NKT cell-specific glycolipid ligand α-galactosylceramide. Unlike conventional iNKT cells, CD8+ iNKT cells produce predominantly IFN-γ but not IL-4 upon antigen stimulation. We also confirmed the presence of CD8+ iNKT cells in wild type mice. Our results suggest that CD8+ NKT cells do exist in mice, although their population size is quite small. Their Th1-skewed phenotype might explain why the population size of this subtype needs to be controlled tightly.
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KEYWORD
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antigens, CD1d, CD8-positive T-lymphocytes, α -galactosylceramide, mice, transgenic, natural killer T-cells
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