iNKT Cell Recognition of Endogenous Lipid Antigens

描述（由申请人提供）：自然杀伤T（iNKT）细胞已进化为识别由CD 1d分子呈递的糖脂抗原。在通过其T细胞受体（TCR）刺激后，iNKT细胞反应非常迅速，这是先天性而非适应性反应的特征。iNKT细胞参与调节与多种疾病相关的免疫应答，包括自身免疫、过敏、传染病和癌症。iNKT细胞可以通过两种主要途径激活。微生物特异性CD 1d限制性脂质可以直接刺激iNKT细胞。或者，iNKT细胞可以通过识别CD 1d限制性自身抗原与炎性细胞因子组合来活化。这表明iNKT细胞可能在对几乎所有感染因子的反应中发挥作用。此外，iNKT细胞对“自身”的识别可能在癌症免疫中起重要作用，因为iNKT细胞已被证明在癌、肉瘤和造血系统恶性肿瘤的免疫监视中起关键作用。类似地，在缺血-再灌注损伤和镰状细胞病期间触发的炎症级联反应似乎是由自身衍生的脂质激活iNKT细胞的直接结果。重要的是，可以触发iNKT细胞反应的自身抗原可能是这些细胞在发育过程中的阳性选择的原因。 参与这些过程的自身脂质的性质目前是一个有争议的主题。我们已经设计了iNKT T细胞受体，其保留了与“常规iNKT TCR”相同的特异性，但对抗原-CD 1d复合物具有更高的亲和力。使用这些独特的工具，我们已经开始鉴定当由CD 1d分子呈递时可以结合TCR的自身抗原。通过独特的和多管齐下的方法，我们建议检查什么是/是iNKT细胞的自身配体以及它们是如何被识别的。最后，我们将使用高度创新的方法评估这些新发现的自身配体如何影响iNKT细胞发育。 这些研究将确定优化iNKT细胞配体并最终调节iNKT细胞功能的指导方针，对基于糖脂的疫苗开发具有重要意义。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells have evolved to recognize glycolipid antigens presented by CD1d molecules. Following stimulation through their T cell receptor (TCR), iNKT cells respond very rapidly, as is characteristic of innate rather than adaptive responses. iNKT cells have been implicated in the regulation of immune responses associated with a broad range of diseases, including autoimmunity, allergy, infectious diseases and cancer. iNKT cells can be activated through two major pathways. Microbe-specific CD1d-restricted lipids can stimulate iNKT cells directly. Alternatively, iNKT cells can be activated via recognition of CD1d-restricted self-antigens, in combination with inflammatory cytokines. This suggests that iNKT cells might play a role in the response to nearly all infectious agents. Furthermore, recognition of "self" by iNKT cells might play an important role in cancer immunity as iNKT cells have been shown to play a critical role in the immune surveillance of carcinoma, sarcoma and hematopoietic malignancies. Similarly, the inflammatory cascade triggered during ischemia-reperfusion injury and sickle cell disease appears to be a direct consequence of iNKT cells activation by self-derived lipids. Importantly, self-antigens that can trigger an iNKT cell response may be responsible for the positive selection of these cells during their development. The nature of the self-lipid(s) that are involved in these processes is currently a subject of controversy. We have engineered iNKT T cell receptors that conserve the same specificity than "regular iNKT TCR" but have a higher affinity for the antigen-CD1d complex. Using these unique tools, we have started to identify self-antigens that can bind the TCR when presented by CD1d molecules. Through distinctive and multi-pronged approaches we propose to examine what is/are the self-ligands of iNKT cells and how they are recognized. Finally, we will assess, using a highly innovative approach, how these newly identified self-ligands affect iNKT cell development. These studies will define the guidelines to optimize iNKT cell ligands and ultimately regulate iNKT cell function, with important implications for glycolipid-based vaccine development.