Recognized more than a decade ago, NKT cells differentiate from mainstream thymic precursors through instructive signals emanating during TCR engagement by CD1d-expressing cortical thymocytes. Their semi-invariant alphabeta TCRs recognize isoglobotrihexosylceramide, a mammalian glycosphingolipid, as well as microbial alpha-glycuronylceramides found in the cell wall of Gram-negative, lipopolysaccharide-negative bacteria. This dual recognition of self and microbial ligands underlies innate-like antimicrobial functions mediated by CD40L induction and massive Th1 and Th2 cytokine and chemokine release. Through reciprocal activation of NKT cells and dendritic cells, synthetic NKT ligands constitute promising new vaccine adjuvants. NKT cells also regulate a range of immunopathological conditions, but the mechanisms and the ligands involved remain unknown. NKT cell biology has emerged as a new field of research at the frontier between innate and adaptive immunity, providing a powerful model to study fundamental aspects of the cell and structural biology of glycolipid trafficking, processing, and recognition.

中文翻译：

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NKT细胞的生物学。

十多年前就已经认识到，NKT细胞通过表达CD1d的皮质胸腺细胞在TCR参与过程中发出的指导性信号与主流胸腺前体细胞相区别。它们的半不变字母TCR可识别异糖核糖三糖基神经酰胺（一种哺乳动物的鞘糖脂）以及在革兰氏阴性，脂多糖阴性细菌的细胞壁中发现的微生物α-糖醛酸神经酰胺。自身和微生物配体的这种双重识别是CD40L诱导以及大量Th1和Th2细胞因子及趋化因子释放介导的先天性抗菌功能的基础。通过NKT细胞和树突状细胞的相互激活，合成的NKT配体构成了有希望的新疫苗佐剂。NKT细胞还调节一系列免疫病理状况，但是所涉及的机制和配体仍然未知。NKT细胞生物学已成为先天免疫和适应性免疫之间的一个新研究领域，它为研究糖脂运输，加工和识别的细胞和结构生物学的基础方面提供了强大的模型。