Individuals with Pulmonary Tuberculosis Have Lower Levels of Circulating CD1d‐Restricted NKT Cells
Open Access
- 1 May 2007
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in The Journal of Infectious Diseases
- Vol. 195 (9) , 1361-1364
- https://doi.org/10.1086/513567
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide from an infectious agent. Natural killer T (NKT) cells recognize mycobacterial antigens and contribute to anti-MTB immunity in mouse models. NKT cells were measured in subjects with pulmonary tuberculosis, MTB-exposed individuals, and healthy controls. NKT cell levels are selectively lower in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis than in both MTB-exposed subjects and healthy control subjects. This apparent loss of NKT cells from the peripheral blood is sustained during the 6 months after the initiation of MTB treatment. These findings indicate that NKT cells may be an important component of antituberculosis immunity.Keywords
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