Functional role of natural killer T cells in non-obese pre-diabetes model mice.

ABSTRACT: Pre-diabetic patients have a high risk of developing diabetes as well as other associated diseases. From the viewpoint of risk assessment and to assist the development of protective therapies, we focused on the functional role of natural killer T (NKT) cells in pre-diabetes. We found that the expression of an NKT cell marker gene, Va14-Ja18, was significantly lower in specific tissues/organs such as adipose tissue and pancreas in non-obese pre-diabetes model mice than in their normal littermates. Subsequently, in the pre-diabetes model mice, Va14-Ja18 was activated with α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) and its effect on glucose tolerance was estimated. The simultaneous injection of α-GalCer and lymphocytes improved glucose tolerance with its maximum effect on the 3rd day. An analysis of cir

SUBMITTER: Saito M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5809671 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature