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Prell, C.* ; Konstantopoulos, N.* ; Heinzelmann, B.* ; Frankenberger, B. ; Reinhardt, D.* ; Schendel, D.J. ; Krauss-Etschmann, S.

Frequency of Vα24+CD161+ natural killer T cells and invariant TCRAV24-AJ18 transcripts in atopic and non-atopic individuals.

Immunobiology 208, 367-380 (2003)
PMC
Open Access Green as soon as Postprint is submitted to ZB.
Th2 cells play a central role in type I allergies. However, the source of interleukin-4 which may lead to a Th1/Th2 imbalance is unknown. Valpha24+CD161+ Natural killer T (NKT) cells secrete high amounts of interleukin-4 and/or interferon-gamma and are assumed to participate in the initiation of Th1/Th2 immune responses. Their contribution to the development of Th2-dependent type I allergies is controversial. Our objective in this paper was to determine whether Valpha24+CD161+ NKT cells differ in atopic and non-atopic adults. Venous blood was obtained from thirteen atopic and sixteen healthy adult probands. Valpha24+CD161+ NKT cells were determined in CD4+, CD8(bright/dim) and CD4-CD8- lymphocytes by flow cytometry. At the molecular level, the amounts of T cell receptor (TCR) AV24-AJ18 transcripts were quantified with respect to TCRAV24 chain transcripts alone or to all TCR alpha chain transcripts. To detect potential inserted nucleotides in the N-region, a novel real-time PCR-based technology was applied. Both CD4+ and CD4-CD8- NKT cells were present at higher frequencies than CD8+ NKT cells in all probands. CD8(dim) NKT cell levels were lower in healthy individuals, although not statistically significantly different to the patients. Amounts of AV24-AJ18 transcripts in relation to total TCR alpha-chains and to TCRAV24 alone were equal in both proband groups. N-region diversity was detected in four clones from four different individuals, but altered the amino acid sequence in only one clone of an atopic donor. Analysis of Valpha24+CD161+ NKT cell frequencies at both the cellular and molecular levels failed to reveal significant differences in peripheral blood of atopic and non-atopic probands. If NKT cells contribute to development of type I allergies they must do so at earlier times or in other locations.
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Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Scientific Article
Corresponding Author
ISSN (print) / ISBN 0171-2985
e-ISSN 1878-3279
Journal Immunobiology : Experimental and Clinical
Quellenangaben Volume: 208, Issue: 4, Pages: 367-380 Article Number: , Supplement: ,
Publisher Urban & Fischer
Non-patent literature Publications
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Institute(s) Institute of Molecular Immunology (IMI)