Type II NKT cells: a distinct CD1d-restricted immune regulatory NKT cell subset

Type II natural killer T cells (NKT) are a subset of the innate-like CD1d-restricted lymphocytes that are reactive to lipid antigens. Unlike the type I NKT cells, which express a semi-invariant TCR, type II NKT cells express a broader TCR repertoire. Additionally, other features, such as their predominance over type I cells in humans versus mice, the nature of their ligands, CD1d/lipid/TCR binding, and modulation of immune responses, distinguish type II NKT cells from type I NKT cells. Interestingly, it is the self-lipid-reactivity of type II NKT cells that has helped define their physiological role in health and in disease. The discovery of sulfatide as one of the major antigens for CD1d-restricted type II NKT cells in mice has been instrumental in the characterization of these cells, including the TCR repertoire, the crystal structure of the CD1d/lipid/TCR complex, and their function. Subsequently, several other glycolipids and phospholipids from both endogenous and microbial sources have been shown to activate type II NKT cells. The activation of a specific subset of type II NKT cells following administration with sulfatide or lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) leads to engagement of a dominant immunoregulatory pathway associated with the inactivation of type I NKT cells, conventional dendritic cells, and inhibition of the proinflammatory Th1/Th17 cells. Thus, type II NKT cells have been shown to be immunosuppressive in autoimmune diseases, inflammatory liver diseases, and in cancer. Knowing their relatively higher prevalence in human than type I NKT cells, understanding their biology is imperative for health and disease.

The Extended Family of CD1d-Restricted NKT Cells: Sifting through a Mixed Bag of TCRs, Antigens, and Functions

Natural killer T (NKT) cells comprise a family of specialized T cells that recognize lipid antigens presented by CD1d. Based on their T cell receptor (TCR) usage and antigen specificities, CD1d-restricted NKT cells have been divided into two main subsets: type I NKT cells that use a canonical invariant TCR α-chain and recognize α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer), and type II NKT cells that use a more diverse αβ TCR repertoire and do not recognize α-GalCer. In addition, α-GalCer-reactive NKT cells that use non-canonical αβ TCRs and CD1d-restricted T cells that use γδ or δ/αβ TCRs have recently been identified, revealing further diversity among CD1d-restricted T cells. Importantly, in addition to their distinct antigen specificities, functional differences are beginning to emerge between the different members of the CD1d-restricted T cell family. In this review, while using type I NKT cells as comparison, we will focus on type II NKT cells and the other non-invariant CD1d-restricted T cell subsets, and discuss our current understanding of the antigens they recognize, the formation of stimulatory CD1d/antigen complexes, the modes of TCR-mediated antigen recognition, and the mechanisms and consequences of their activation that underlie their function in antimicrobial responses, anti-tumor immunity, and autoimmunity.

IL32γ activates natural killer receptor-expressing innate immune cells to produce IFNγ via dendritic cell-derived IL12

The inflammatory cytokine IL32γ acts on dendritic cells (DCs) to produce IL12 and IL6, which are involved in the differentiation of Th1 and Th17 cells. Natural killer (NK) and NKT cells play important roles in IL12-mediated adaptive immune responses, such as antitumor immunity. Herein we demonstrate the effect of IL32γ on the activation of NK and NKT cells. Upon IL32γ stimulation, splenic NK and NKT cells could be activated, and this activation was dependent on both IL12 and DCs, which was confirmed by using IL12p35 knockout and CD11c-diphtheria toxin receptor transgenic mouse models. Furthermore, IL32γ could induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines by NKDCs, a subset of DCs expressing NK cell markers, known to enhance NKT cell function. Unlike conventional DCs, NKDCs produced IFNγ and TNFα rather than IL12 upon stimulation with IL32γ. Taken together, IL32γ will be useful as an adjuvant to boost the cytotoxicities of NK and NKT cells that play critical roles in antitumor immunity.

The effect of intracellular trafficking of CD1d on the formation of TCR repertoire of NKT cells

CD1 molecules belong to non-polymorphic MHC class I-like proteins and present lipid antigens to T cells. Five different CD1 genes (CD1a-e) have been identified and classified into two groups. Group 1 include CD1a-c and present pathogenic lipid antigens to αβ T cells reminiscence of peptide antigen presentation by MHC-I molecules. CD1d is the only member of Group 2 and presents foreign and self lipid antigens to a specialized subset of αβ T cells, NKT cells. NKT cells are involved in diverse immune responses through prompt and massive production of cytokines. CD1d-dependent NKT cells are categorized upon the usage of their T cell receptors. A major subtype of NKT cells (type I) is invariant NKT cells which utilize invariant Vα14-Jα18 TCR alpha chain in mouse. The remaining NKT cells (type II) utilize diverse TCR alpha chains. Engineered CD1d molecules with modified intracellular trafficking produce either type I or type II NKT cell-defects suggesting the lipid antigens for each subtypes of NKT cells are processed/generated in different intracellular compartments. Since the usage of TCR by a T cell is the result of antigen-driven selection, the intracellular metabolic pathways of lipid antigen are a key in forming the functional NKT cell repertoire.

CD1d expressed in mast cell surface enhances IgE production in B cells by up-regulating CD40L expression and mediator release in allergic asthma in mice

Mast cells play important roles via FcεRI-mediated activation in allergic asthma. A nonpolymorphic MHC I-like molecule CD1d, which is mainly expressed in APCs, presents glycolipid Ag to iTCR on iNKT cells and modulates allergic responses. This study aimed to investigate the role of CD1d on IgE production and mast cell activation related to allergic asthma. Bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) from C57BL/6 Wild type (WT) or KO (CD1d(-/-)) mice were activated with Ag/Ab (refer to WT-act-BMMCs and KO-act-BMMCs, respectively) or α-Galactosylceramide (WT-αGal-BMMCs, KO-αGal-BMMCs) in the presence of iNKT cells. WT, KO or BMMC-transferred KO mice were sensitized and/or challenged by OVA or α-Gal to induce asthma. KO-act-BMMCs reduced intracellular Ca(2+) levels, expression of signaling molecules (Ras, Rac1/2, PLA2, COX-2, NF-κB/AP-1), mediator release (histamines, leukotrienes and cytokines/chemokines), and total IgE levels versus the corresponding WT-BMMCs. KO mice reduced total and OVA-specific serum IgE levels, number of mast cells, recruiting molecules (CCR2/CCL2, VCAM-1, PECAM-1), expression of tryptase, c-kit, CD40L and cytokine mRNA, co-localization of c-kit and CD1d or iNKT cells in BAL cells or lung tissues, and PCA responses, compared with the corresponding WT mice. BMMC-transferred KO-both mice showed the restoration of all allergic responses versus KO-both mice (Ag/Ab reaction plus α-Gal). KO-αGal-BMMCs or KO-αGal mice did not show any responses. Our data suggest that CD1d-expressed mast cells may function as APC cells for iNKT cells and exacerbate airway inflammation and remodeling through up-regulating IgE production via B cell Ig class switching and mediator release in mast cells of OVA-challenged mice.

Type II natural killer T cells use features of both innate-like and conventional T cells to recognize sulfatide self antigens

Glycolipids presented by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I homolog CD1d are recognized by natural killer T cells (NKT cells) characterized by either a semi-invariant T cell antigen receptor (TCR) repertoire (type I NKT cells or iNKT cells) or a relatively variable TCR repertoire (type II NKT cells). Here we describe the structure of a type II NKT cell TCR in complex with CD1d-lysosulfatide. Both TCR α-chains and TCR β-chains made contact with the CD1d molecule with a diagonal footprint, typical of MHC-TCR interactions, whereas the antigen was recognized exclusively with a single TCR chain, similar to the iNKT cell TCR. Type II NKT cell TCRs, therefore, recognize CD1d-sulfatide complexes by a distinct recognition mechanism characterized by the TCR-binding features of both iNKT cells and conventional peptide-reactive T cells.