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Immunologic glycosphingolipidomics and NKT cell development in mouse thymus.

ABSTRACT: Invariant NKT cells are a hybrid cell type of Natural Killer cells and T cells, whose development is dependent on thymic positive selection mediated by double positive thymocytes through their recognition of natural ligands presented by CD1d, a nonpolymorphic, non-MHC, MHC-like antigen presenting molecule. Genetic evidence suggested that beta-glucosylceramide derived glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are natural ligands for NKT cells. N-butyldeoxygalactonojirimycin (NB-DGJ), a drug that specifically inhibits the glucosylceramide synthase, inhibits the endogenous ligands for NKT cells. Furthermore, we and others have found a beta-linked glycosphingolipid, isoglobotriaosylceramide (iGb3), is a stimulatory NKT ligand. The iGb3 synthase knockout mice have a normal NKT development and function, indicating that other ligands exist and remain to be identified. In this study, we have performed a glycosphingolipidomics study of mouse thymus, and studied mice mutants which are deficient in beta-hexosaminidase b or alpha-galactosidase A, two glycosidases that are up- and downstream agents of iGb3 turnover, respectively. Our mass spectrometry methods generated a first database for glycosphingolipids expressed in mouse thymus, which are specifically regulated by rate-limiting glycosidases. Among the identified thymic glycosphingolipids, only iGb3 is a stimulatory ligand for NKT cells, suggesting that large-scale fractionation, enrichment and characterization of minor species of glycosphingolipids are necessary for identifying additional ligands for NKT cells. Our results also provide early insights into cellular lipidomics studies, with a specific focus on the important immunological functions of glycosphingolipids.

SUBMITTER: Li Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2720133 | biostudies-other | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Immunologic glycosphingolipidomics and NKT cell development in mouse thymus.

Li Yunsen Y Thapa Prakash P Hawke David D Kondo Yuji Y Furukawa Keiko K Furukawa Koichi K Hsu Fong-Fu FF Adlercreutz Dietlind D Weadge Joel J Palcic Monica M MM Wang Peng G PG Levery Steven B SB Zhou Dapeng D

Journal of proteome research 20090601 6

Invariant NKT cells are a hybrid cell type of Natural Killer cells and T cells, whose development is dependent on thymic positive selection mediated by double positive thymocytes through their recognition of natural ligands presented by CD1d, a nonpolymorphic, non-MHC, MHC-like antigen presenting molecule. Genetic evidence suggested that beta-glucosylceramide derived glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are natural ligands for NKT cells. N-butyldeoxygalactonojirimycin (NB-DGJ), a drug that specifically inh ...[more]

PMID: 19284783

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Project description:The reports on the origin of human CD8(+) Valpha24(+) T-cell receptor (TCR) natural killer T (NKT) cells are controversial. The underlying mechanism that controls human CD4 versus CD8 NKT cell development is not well-characterized. In the present study, we have studied total 177 eligible patients and subjects including 128 healthy latent Epstein-Barr-virus(EBV)-infected subjects, 17 newly-onset acute infectious mononucleosis patients, 16 newly-diagnosed EBV-associated Hodgkin lymphoma patients, and 16 EBV-negative normal control subjects. We have established human-thymus/liver-SCID chimera, reaggregated thymic organ culture, and fetal thymic organ culture. We here show that the average frequency of total and CD8(+) NKT cells in PBMCs from 128 healthy latent EBV-infected subjects is significantly higher than in 17 acute EBV infectious mononucleosis patients, 16 EBV-associated Hodgkin lymphoma patients, and 16 EBV-negative normal control subjects. However, the frequency of total and CD8(+) NKT cells is remarkably increased in the acute EBV infectious mononucleosis patients at year 1 post-onset. EBV-challenge promotes CD8(+) NKT cell development in the thymus of human-thymus/liver-SCID chimeras. The frequency of total (3% of thymic cells) and CD8(+) NKT cells ( approximately 25% of NKT cells) is significantly increased in EBV-challenged chimeras, compared to those in the unchallenged chimeras (<0.01% of thymic cells, CD8(+) NKT cells undetectable, respectively). The EBV-induced increase in thymic NKT cells is also reflected in the periphery, where there is an increase in total and CD8(+) NKT cells in liver and peripheral blood in EBV-challenged chimeras. EBV-induced thymic CD8(+) NKT cells display an activated memory phenotype (CD69(+)CD45RO(hi)CD161(+)CD62L(lo)). After EBV-challenge, a proportion of NKT precursors diverges from DP thymocytes, develops and differentiates into mature CD8(+) NKT cells in thymus in EBV-challenged human-thymus/liver-SCID chimeras or reaggregated thymic organ cultures. Thymic antigen-presenting EBV-infected dendritic cells are required for this process. IL-7, produced mainly by thymic dendritic cells, is a major and essential factor for CD8(+) NKT cell differentiation in EBV-challenged human-thymus/liver-SCID chimeras and fetal thymic organ cultures. Additionally, these EBV-induced CD8(+) NKT cells produce remarkably more perforin than that in counterpart CD4(+) NKT cells, and predominately express CD8alphaalpha homodimer in their co-receptor. Thus, upon interaction with certain viruses, CD8 lineage-specific NKT cells are developed, differentiated and matured intrathymically, a finding with potential therapeutic importance against viral infections and tumors.

Dataset Information

Immunologic glycosphingolipidomics and NKT cell development in mouse thymus.

Publications

Immunologic glycosphingolipidomics and NKT cell development in mouse thymus.

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