Biomaterial Database

Natural killer T cells and haemopoiesis. 2006

Anastasios Karadimitris, and Scott Patterson, and Emmanouil Spanoudakis

Department of Haematology, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London, UK. a.karadimitris@imperial.ac.uk

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a small but powerful subset of regulatory T cells involved in the modulation of a variety of normal and pathological immune responses. In contrast to conventional or other types of regulatory T cells, they are activated by glycolipid and phospholipid ligands that are presented to them by the non-polymorphic, major histocompatibility complex class I-like molecule CD1d. The in-depth understanding of their function has resulted in successful, iNKT cell-centred experimental therapeutic interventions including prevention of graft-versus-host disease and anti-leukaemia effects. Extending these successes into the clinical arena will require better understanding of their contribution to the pathogenesis of human, including haematological, diseases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007166	Immunosuppressive Agents	Agents that suppress immune function by one of several mechanisms of action. Classical cytotoxic immunosuppressants act by inhibiting DNA synthesis. Others may act through activation of T-CELLS or by inhibiting the activation of HELPER CELLS. While immunosuppression has been brought about in the past primarily to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, new applications involving mediation of the effects of INTERLEUKINS and other CYTOKINES are emerging.	Immunosuppressant,Immunosuppressive Agent,Immunosuppressants,Agent, Immunosuppressive,Agents, Immunosuppressive
D007694	Killer Cells, Natural	Bone marrow-derived lymphocytes that possess cytotoxic properties, classically directed against transformed and virus-infected cells. Unlike T CELLS; and B CELLS; NK CELLS are not antigen specific. The cytotoxicity of natural killer cells is determined by the collective signaling of an array of inhibitory and stimulatory CELL SURFACE RECEPTORS. A subset of T-LYMPHOCYTES referred to as NATURAL KILLER T CELLS shares some of the properties of this cell type.	NK Cells,Natural Killer Cells,Cell, NK,Cell, Natural Killer,Cells, NK,Cells, Natural Killer,Killer Cell, Natural,NK Cell,Natural Killer Cell
D007938	Leukemia	A progressive, malignant disease of the blood-forming organs, characterized by distorted proliferation and development of leukocytes and their precursors in the blood and bone marrow. Leukemias were originally termed acute or chronic based on life expectancy but now are classified according to cellular maturity. Acute leukemias consist of predominately immature cells; chronic leukemias are composed of more mature cells. (From The Merck Manual, 2006)	Leucocythaemia,Leucocythemia,Leucocythaemias,Leucocythemias,Leukemias
D008213	Lymphocyte Activation	Morphologic alteration of small B LYMPHOCYTES or T LYMPHOCYTES in culture into large blast-like cells able to synthesize DNA and RNA and to divide mitotically. It is induced by INTERLEUKINS; MITOGENS such as PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININS, and by specific ANTIGENS. It may also occur in vivo as in GRAFT REJECTION.	Blast Transformation,Blastogenesis,Lymphoblast Transformation,Lymphocyte Stimulation,Lymphocyte Transformation,Transformation, Blast,Transformation, Lymphoblast,Transformation, Lymphocyte,Activation, Lymphocyte,Stimulation, Lymphocyte
D006086	Graft vs Host Disease	The clinical entity characterized by anorexia, diarrhea, loss of hair, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, growth retardation, and eventual death brought about by the GRAFT VS HOST REACTION.	Graft-Versus-Host Disease,Homologous Wasting Disease,Runt Disease,Graft-vs-Host Disease,Disease, Graft-Versus-Host,Disease, Graft-vs-Host,Disease, Homologous Wasting,Disease, Runt,Diseases, Graft-Versus-Host,Diseases, Graft-vs-Host,Graft Versus Host Disease,Graft-Versus-Host Diseases,Graft-vs-Host Diseases
D006410	Hematopoiesis	The development and formation of various types of BLOOD CELLS. Hematopoiesis can take place in the BONE MARROW (medullary) or outside the bone marrow (HEMATOPOIESIS, EXTRAMEDULLARY).	Hematopoiesis, Medullary,Haematopoiesis,Medullary Hematopoiesis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000938	Antigen-Presenting Cells	A heterogeneous group of immunocompetent cells that mediate the cellular immune response by processing and presenting antigens to the T-cells. Traditional antigen-presenting cells include MACROPHAGES; DENDRITIC CELLS; LANGERHANS CELLS; and B-LYMPHOCYTES. FOLLICULAR DENDRITIC CELLS are not traditional antigen-presenting cells, but because they hold antigen on their cell surface in the form of IMMUNE COMPLEXES for B-cell recognition they are considered so by some authors.	Accessory Cells, Immunologic,Antigen-Presenting Cell,Immunologic Accessory Cells,Accessory Cell, Immunologic,Cell, Immunologic Accessory,Cells, Immunologic Accessory,Immunologic Accessory Cell,Antigen Presenting Cell,Antigen Presenting Cells,Cell, Antigen-Presenting,Cells, Antigen-Presenting
D001327	Autoimmune Diseases	Disorders that are characterized by the production of antibodies that react with host tissues or immune effector cells that are autoreactive to endogenous peptides.	Autoimmune Disease,Disease, Autoimmune,Diseases, Autoimmune
D055610	Antigens, CD1d	A major histocompatibility complex class I-like protein that contains an IMMUNOGLOBULIN C1-SET DOMAIN. It plays a unique role in the presentation of lipid ANTIGENS to NATURAL KILLER T-CELLS.	CD1d Antigen,Cd1d Molecule,Antigen, CD1d,CD1d Antigens