0000000000192166

AUTHOR

Masaru Taniguchi

Immunoregulatory role of Jα281 T cells in aged mice developing lupus-like nephritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the emergence of autoreactive T cells. Humans and mice with SLE have reduced numbers of CD1d-restricted invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, suggesting a key role for these cells in its immunopathogenesis. This subset uses an invariant TCR constituted by Valpha14 Jalpha281 chains paired with some Vbeta domains. The regulatory role for iNKT cells in non-autoimmune mice was suggested by our previous results showing that aged Jalpha281 knockout (KO) mice produce anti-dsDNA. Here we show that old Jalpha281 KO mice have proteinuria and antibodies against dsDNA and cardiolipin. Histological analysis of Jalpha281 KO m…

research product

Prophylaxis of lipopolysaccharide-induced shock by α-galactosylceramide

AbstractThe NKT cell ligand α-galactosylceramide and its synthetic homologue KRN7000 stimulate rapid and copious secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α release, both of which are key mediators of LPS-induced shock. We showed that KRN7000, injected before or within 2 h after LPS challenge, was able to prevent endotoxic shock. KRN7000 induced survival when the mice were injected 6, 9, or 12 days before the first injection of LPS, and this protective effect was associated with reduction upon subsequent challenge in the levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, MCP-1, and an increase of IL-10. Further analysis showed that the animals treated with KRN7000 prior to LPS challenge had lower numbers of F4/80+, NKT, and NK cell…

research product

Development of hapten-induced IL-4-producing CD4+ T lymphocytes requires early IL-4 production by alphabeta T lymphocytes carrying invariant V(alpha)14 TCR alpha chains

This paper investigates the mechanisms responsible for the generation of IL-4-producing CD4+ T cells during contact sensitization with the hapten trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB). Lymph node cells taken 1 day after immunization spontaneously released IL-4 while lymph node cells taken 2 and 3 days after immunization did not produce IL-4. A second wave of IL-4 production that was both antigen-specific and MHC class II (I-A)-restricted was observed 4 days after immunization. The spontaneous release of IL-4 at day 1 was due to the alphabeta+ double-negative (CD4- CD8-) T lymphocytes that also expressed NK1.1 and showed V(alpha)14 rearrangement, while alphabeta+ CD4+ T lymphocytes were the source of…

research product

An anti-inflammatory role for V alpha 14 NK T cells in Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin-infected mice.

Abstract The possible contribution of NKT cells to resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection remains unclear. In this paper we characterized the Vα14 NKT cell population following infection with Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). BCG infection determined an early expansion of Vα14 NKT cells in liver, lungs, and spleen, which peaked on day 8 and was sustained until day 30. However, an NK1.1+ Vα14 NKT population preferentially producing IFN-γ predominated at an early stage (day 8), which was substituted by an NK1.1− population preferentially producing IL-4 at later stages (day 30). Despite the fact that Vα14 NKT cell-deficient mice eliminated BCG as did control mice…

research product

Resistance of natural killer T cell-deficient mice to systemic Shwartzman reaction.

The generalized Shwartzman reaction in mice which had been primed and challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) depends on interleukin (IL)-12-induced interferon (IFN)-gamma production at the priming stage. We examined the involvement in the priming mechanism of the unique population of Valpha14 natural killer T (NKT) cells because they promptly produce IFN-gamma after IL-12 stimulation. We report here that LPS- or IL-12-primed NKT cell genetically deficient mice were found to be resistant to LPS-elicited mortality. This outcome can be attributed to the reduction of IFN-gamma production, because injection of recombinant mouse IFN-gamma, but not injection of IL-12, effectively primed the NKT …

research product

WHOLE BODY IRRADIATION INDUCES IFN-γ PRODUCTION IN BALB/c MICE BY PREVENTING THE APPEARANCE OF A Vα14+NK T DOWNREGULATORY POPULATION

Lymph node cells from TNCB-immune BALB/c mice fail to produce IFN-gamma when exposed to antigen in vitro. Conversely, lymph node cells of irradiated (550 rads) BALB/c mice produce IFN-gamma. Transfer experiments show that normal BALB/c mice contain cells which suppress IFN-gamma production. These downregulatory cells are CD4(+)alpha beta(+)and rearrange the invariant V alpha 14-J alpha 281 T cell receptor alpha chain, thus belonging to the NK T cell subset. Downregulatory cells probably act by producing IL-4 as their effect is blocked by mAb to IL-4.

research product