Issue 144 Item 8 Pancreatic Beta Cell Destruction Prevented by Natural Killer T

Natural killer T cells (NKT cells) prevented the development of diabetes, according to a report from researchers in France. Natural killer T cells (NKT cells) prevented the development of pathogenic T cells that specifically attack pancreatic beta cells and, thus, prevented the development of diabetes, according to a report from researchers in France.

"To determine the precise regulatory effect of NKT cells on CD4+ T cells involved in autoimmune diabetes, we developed an in vivo model in which transferred naive transgenic T cells are stimulated by their antigen in the presence or absence of NKT cells or in the presence of another conventional transgenic alpha-beta T cell," reported L. Beaudoin and colleagues at INSERM U561 in Paris.

The researchers continiued, "The presence of NKT cells did not block the initial activation and expansion of the CD4+ T cells but did inhibit their IL-2 and IFN-gamma production and later proliferation, resulting in an anergic phenotype. These CD4+ T cells did not induce significant insulitis and were unable to destroy the beta cells."

Beaudoin and coauthors concluded, "Thus, NKT cells prevent alpha-beta CD4 T cell differentiation into effector cells."

Beaudoin and collaborators published the results of their study in Immunity (NKT cells inhibit the onset of diabetes by impairing the development of pathogenic T cells specific for pancreatic beta cells. Immunity, 2002;17(6):725-736). The corresponding author for this report is A. Lehuen, INSERM U561, Hopital Cochin-Saint Vincent de Paul, 75014, Paris, France.