Liver NKT Cells Research Articles

Intestinal epithelial cells-derived exosomes provide a bridge between the gut and the liver that prevents liver inflammation through prostaglandin E2 induction of NK T cell anergy (49.11)

Abstract The in vivo regulation/induction of NTK anergy has been associated with inhibition of autoimmune and anti-tumor response, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that exosomes released from intestinal epithelial cells migrated into liver and induced liver NKT anergy. Unexpectedly, these effects were mediated by an exosomal PGE2 , which were demonstrated in a NKT-mediated liver injury model induced by ConA. Consistent with these findings, blocking PGE2 synthesis attenuated intestinal epithelial cells exosomes mediated inhibition of induction of IFN-γ and IL-4 of α-GalCer stimulated liver NKT cells as a PGE2 receptors mediated and PKA dependent manner. Pro-inflammation condition increased permeability of intestine and thus enhanced accumulation of intestinal epithelial cells exosomes migrated into liver where PGE2 induced NKT anergy in response to subsequently α-GalCer stimulation. Thus, these findings demonstrate a previously unappreciated role for intestinal epithelial cell exosomes served as immune modulator between liver and intestine and maintaining liver NKT homeostasis. Our findings have also important implications for the development of NKT cell-based vaccines and immunotherapies.

PLZF induces an intravascular surveillance program mediated by long-lived LFA-1–ICAM-1 interactions

Innate-like NKT cells conspicuously accumulate within the liver microvasculature of healthy mice, crawling on the luminal side of endothelial cells, but their general recirculation pattern and the mechanism of their intravascular behavior have not been elucidated. Using parabiotic mice, we demonstrated that, despite their intravascular location, most liver NKT cells failed to recirculate. Antibody blocking experiments established that they were retained locally through constitutive LFA-1-intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) 1 interactions. This unprecedented lifelong intravascular residence could be induced in conventional CD4 T cells by the sole expression of promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF), a transcription factor specifically expressed in the NKT lineage. These findings reveal the unique genetic and biochemical pathway that underlies the innate intravascular surveillance program of NKT cells.

Antitumor Immunity Produced by the Liver Kupffer Cells, NK Cells, NKT Cells, and CD8+CD122+T Cells

Mouse and human livers contain innate immune leukocytes, NK cells, NKT cells, and macrophage-lineage Kupffer cells. Various bacterial components, including Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands and an NKT cell ligand (α-galactocylceramide), activate liver Kupffer cells, which produce IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF. IL-12 activates hepatic NK cells and NKT cells to produce IFN-γ, which further activates hepatic T cells, in turn activating phagocytosis and cytokine production by Kupffer cells in a positive feedback loop. These immunological events are essentially evoked to protect the host from bacterial and viral infections; however, these events also contribute to antitumor and antimetastatic immunity in the liver by activated liver NK cells and NKT cells. Bystander CD8+CD122+ T cells, and tumor-specific memory CD8+T cells, are also induced in the liver by α-galactocylceramide. Furthermore, adoptive transfer experiments have revealed that activated liver lymphocytes may migrate to other organs to inhibit tumor growth, such as the lungs and kidneys. The immunological mechanism underlying the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic livers in hepatitis C patients and liver innate immunity as a double-edged sword (hepatocyte injury/regeneration, septic shock, autoimmune disease, etc.) are also discussed.

Efficient Isolation of Mouse Liver NKT Cells by Perfusion

BackgroundNKT cell is a population of unconventional T cells that mediate both innate and adaptive T cell responses. Since NKT cells are most abundant in the liver, much of NKT biology has been learnt from studies of NKT cells isolated from liver. This is a cumbersome procedure with variations in cell yield.ResultsBased on recent evidence that NKT cells reside in liver vascular compartment, we developed a simple method to isolate NKT cells by perfusion with PBS-containing 10 mM of EDTA. The number and cell surface phenotype of liver NKT cells recovered by perfusion and by the traditional method were comparable. The yield of other lymphocytes was also comparable.Conclusion/SignificanceOur data demonstrated that liver lymphocytes can be efficiently isolated by simple perfusion. These data provide a convenient method to isolate liver lymphocyte while preserving liver tissue for other analysis.

Toll-Like Receptor Signaling in Liver Diseases

Toll-Like Receptor Signaling in Liver Diseases

The Bile Acid Sensor Farnesoid X Receptor Is a Modulator of Liver Immunity in a Rodent Model of Acute Hepatitis

Immune-mediated liver diseases including autoimmune and viral hepatitis are a major health problem worldwide. In this study, we report that activation of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a member of the ligand-activated nuclear receptor superfamily and bile sensor highly expressed in the liver, attenuates liver injury in a model of autoimmune hepatitis induced by Con A. We found that FXR gene ablation results in a time-dependent increase of liver expression (up to 20-fold in a 9-mo-old mouse) of osteopontin, a NKT cell-derived extracellular matrix protein and immunoregulatory cytokine. In comparison to wild-type, FXR(-/-) mice are more susceptible to Con A-induced hepatitis and react to Con A administration by an unregulated production of osteopontin. Administering wild-type mice with a synthetic FXR agonist attenuated Con A-induced liver damage and liver expression of the osteopontin gene. By in vitro studies, we found that FXR is expressed by primarily isolated NKT cells and its ablation favors ostepontin production in response to Con A. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and coimmunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that the short heterodimer partner (SHP), a nuclear receptor and FXR target, was expressed by NKT cell hybridomas and increased in response to FXR activation. FXR activates SHP that interacts with and inhibits c-Jun binding to the osteopontin promoter. These data indicate that in NKT cells, FXR activation causes a SHP-mediated inhibition of osteopontin production. These data support the notion that the bile acid sensor FXR regulates the activation of liver NKT cells.

Liver natural killer and natural killer T cells: immunobiology and emerging roles in liver diseases

Hepatic lymphocytes are enriched in NK and NKT cells that play important roles in antiviral and antitumor defenses and in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease. In this review, we discuss the differential distribution of NK and NKT cells in mouse, rat, and human livers, the ultrastructural similarities and differences between liver NK and NKT cells, and the regulation of liver NK and NKT cells in a variety of murine liver injury models. We also summarize recent findings about the role of NK and NKT cells in liver injury, fibrosis, and repair. In general, NK and NKT cells accelerate liver injury by producing proinflammatory cytokines and killing hepatocytes. NK cells inhibit liver fibrosis via killing early-activated and senescent-activated stellate cells and producing IFN-gamma. In regulating liver fibrosis, NKT cells appear to be less important than NK cells as a result of hepatic NKT cell tolerance. NK cells inhibit liver regeneration by producing IFN-gamma and killing hepatocytes; however, the role of NK cells on the proliferation of liver progenitor cells and the role of NKT cells in liver regeneration have been controversial. The emerging roles of NK/NKT cells in chronic human liver disease will also be discussed.Understanding the role of NK and NKT cells in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease may help us design better therapies to treat patients with this disease.

Innate immune recognition and regulation in liver injury: A brief report from a series of studies

The discovery of innate immune receptors and the emergence of liver immunology (high content of NK and NKT cells in liver) led to the second research summit in innate immunity since the finding of NK cells in the middle 1970s. Liver disease is one of the most dangerous threats to humans, and the progress in innate immunology and liver immunology made it possible to re-explain the cellular and molecular immune mechanisms of liver disease. In the past ten years, we have found that innate recognition of hepatic NK and NKT subsets were involved in murine liver injury. We established a novel NK cell-dependent acute murine hepatitis model by activating Toll-like receptor-3 (TLR-3) with an injection of poly I:C, which may mimic mild viral hepatitis (such as Chronic Hepatitis B). We observed that a network of innate immune cells including NK, NKT and Kupffer cells is involved in liver immune injury in our established NK cell-dependent murine model. We noted that TLR-3 on Kupffer cells activated by pretreatment with poly I:C might protect against bacterial toxin (LPS)-induced fulminant hepatitis by down-regulating TLR-4 function, while TLR-3 pre-activation of NK cells might reduce Con A-induced NKT cell-mediated fulminant hepatitis by blocking NKT cell recruitment to the liver. We also found that the oversensitivity to injury by immune stimulation in HBV (hepatitis B virus) transgenic mice (full HBV gene-tg or HBs-tg) correlated to the over-expression of Rea1, an NKG2D (natural killer cell group 2D) ligand of NK cells or CD1d, a ligand of TCR-V14 of NKT cells, on HBV+ hepatocytes, which leads to an innate immune response against hepatocytes and is critical in liver immune injury and regeneration.

IL-22-Dependent Attenuation of T Cell-Dependent (ConA) Hepatitis in Herpes Virus Entry Mediator Deficiency

Coinhibitors and costimulators control intrahepatic T cell responses that trigger acute hepatitis. We used the ConA-induced hepatitis model in the mouse to test if the coinhibitor herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) modulates hepatitis-inducing T cell responses. Compared with ConA-injected, wild-type (wt) C57BL/6 (B6) mice, HVEM-deficient (HVEM(-/-)) B6 mice showed lower serum transaminase levels and lower proinflammatory IFN-gamma, but higher protective IL-22 serum levels and an attenuated liver histopathology. The liver type I invariant NKT cell population that initiates acute hepatitis in this model was reduced in HVEM(-/-) mice but their surface phenotype was similar to that of untreated or ConA-treated wt controls. In response to mitogen injection, liver invariant NKT cells from HVEM(-/-) B6 mice produced in vivo more IL-22 but lower amounts of IFN-gamma and IL-4 than wt controls. Bone marrow chimeras showed that HVEM deficiency of the liver nonparenchymal cell population, but not of the parenchymal cell population, mediated the attenuated course of the dendritic cell- and T cell-dependent ConA hepatitis. IL-22 is produced more efficiently by liver NKT cells from HVEM(-/-) than from wt mice, and its Ab-mediated neutralization of IL-22 aggravated the course of hepatitis in wt and HVEM(-/-) mice. Hence, HVEM expression promotes pathogenic, proinflammatory Th1 responses but down-modulates protective IL-22 responses of T cells in this model of acute hepatitis.

CXCR6/CXCL16 is required for optimal NKT cell and dendritic cell interactions (33.2)

Abstract Natural killer T (NKT) cells are a conserved T cell sublineage which rapidly produces cytokines upon activation by glycolipid antigens (i.e. α-GalCer) presented by dendritic cells (DC). Cross-talk between NKT cells and DCs is important in the initiation of anti-tumour responses. The objective of this study was to determine the role of CXCR6/CXCL16 in NKT cell-DC interactions. The chemokine receptor, CXCR6, is highly expressed on NKT cells, while its ligand, CXCL16, is expressed on DCs. When liver NKT cells were cultured with recombinant CXCL16 in vitro they were not activated directly. However, CXCL16 did enhance IFN-γ production in vitro when NKT cells were stimulated with suboptimal doses of plate bound anti-CD3. The presence of CXCL16 on the surface of DC is also important for NKT cell production of IFN-γ. NKT cells cultured with α-GalCer loaded CXCL16+ DC produced more IFN-γ than those cultured with CXCL16- DC. CXCL16+ DC stimulated more NKT cell IFN-γ production than CXCL16- DC in vivo as well. CD8+ DC constitutively express CXCL16 while all other DC subsets upregulate CXCL16 expression following α-GalCer stimulation. This is dependent on NKT cells since CXCL16 upregulation did not occur in NKT cell deficient (Jα18-/-) mice. DC maturation is also attenuated in the absence of CXCL16 signaling. These results suggest that CXCR6/CXCL16 is required for full NKT cell and dendritic cell activation/maturation.

Manipulating The Liver to Induce Systemic Tolerance to Heart Allografts Through CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T cells and NKT Cells (141.39)

Abstract The liver has been demonstrated in many models to favor the induction of peripheral tolerance. The mechanisms mediating this phenomenon remain undefined. In this study, we delivered the C3H spleen cells (SCs) into the B6 liver through the portal vein (p.v.) in contrast to tail vein (i.v.) injection to characterize the liver leukocytes by flow cytometry and their function by MLR, ELISPOT, and immunohistochemistry assays. Heterotopic heart transplantation was performed from C3H donors to B6 recipients at day 7 post-treatment. The TCRαβ +NK1.1+ cells (NKT) were significantly increased in the liver, and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) were markedly increased in the both liver and spleen after p.v. but not i.v. injection of C3H SCs. The proliferative activity of T cells from the p.v. treated mice was significantly suppressed and IL-2 was decreased, IL-4 and IL-10 were increased in vitro, suggesting that the role of the Treg may contribute to these responses. Further, significantly increased IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ production was detected from liver nonparenchymal cells under αGalCer stimulation, suggesting the role of liver NKT cells. Heart allograft survival was significantly prolonged in the C3H SCs p.v. treated recipients than in the i.v. treated recipients. Therefore, the liver can serve as a site of systemic tolerance induction. Both NKT cells and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg appear to be involved in the regulation of peripheral immune responses after antigen immunization of the liver.

TLR-9 Activation Aggravates Concanavalin A-Induced Hepatitis via Promoting Accumulation and Activation of Liver CD4+ NKT Cells

Increasing evidence suggests that TLRs are involved in the pathogenesis of liver diseases; however, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. In this study, we found that treatment with CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) promoted the accumulation and activation of murine hepatic NKT cells. Additional experiments showed that CpG-ODN preferred to act on CD4(+) NKT cells, while having less effect on CD4(-) NKT cells. The effect of CpG-ODN on liver NKT cells depended on the presence of Kupffer cells and IL-12. Meanwhile, CpG-ODN pretreatment aggravated liver injury and promoted the production of inflammatory cytokines in a Con A-induced fulminant hepatitis model via TLR9 activation. Collectively, our data demonstrate that TLR9 stimulation prefers to promote the accumulation and activation of hepatic CD4(+) NKT cells and suggest that TLR9 signaling might be involved in the pathogenesis of human hepatitis.

Decreased expressions of CD1d molecule on liver dendritic cells in subcutaneous tumor bearing mice

Alpha-Galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) has been attracting attention as a novel approach to treat metastatic liver cancer. However, the activation of liver innate immunity by alpha-GalCer should be examined because clinical trials of alpha-GalCer resulted in limited clinical responses. We examined the activation of liver innate immunity by alpha-GalCer in subcutaneous Colon26 tumor bearing-mice (C26s.c.TB-mice). The expressions of CD1d molecule on liver dendritic cells (DCs) were significantly lower in C26s.c.TB-mice than those in tumor-unbearing normal mice. Although liver NK cells and NKT cells activated in normal mice after alpha-GalCer treatment, the activation of these cells were significantly inhibited in C26s.c.TB-mice. Alpha-GalCer treatment resulted in significant antitumor effect against Colon26 metastatic liver tumor in normal mice, but not in C26s.c.TB-mice. The serum levels of TGF-beta, known to suppress the CD1d expressions on DCs, in C26s.c.TB-mice were significantly higher than those in normal mice. Surgical subcutaneous tumor mass reduction resulted in the reduction of serum TGF-beta, the recovery of CD1d expressions on liver DCs and the improvement of antitumor effect of alpha-GalCer against metastatic liver tumor. These results suggested that tumor burden reduces CD1d expressions on liver DCs, thus impeding alpha-GalCer-mediated NK cell activation and antitumor activity in the liver.

Control of T Lymphocyte Signaling by Ly108, a Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Receptor Implicated in Autoimmunity

The signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family of receptors has been implicated in the pathophysiology of autoimmunity in humans and mice. One member of the family, Ly108, was strongly linked to lupus susceptibility in mice. High expression of a Ly108 isoform, Ly108-1, was observed in lymphocytes of lupus-prone mice. Herein, we examined the molecular basis for the influence of Ly108 on lupus susceptibility by studying Ly108 signal transduction in T cells. We observed that Ly108 was able to mediate a tyrosine phosphorylation signal implicating Ly108, Vav-1, and c-Cbl in a manner strictly dependent on engagement of the extracellular domain of Ly108 and co-expression of the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain-containing adaptor signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM)-associated protein (SAP). Evaluation of T cells from mice carrying mutations in the SAP-FynT pathway indicated that Ly108-triggered protein tyrosine phosphorylation was due to the capacity of SAP to recruit FynT. Importantly, Ly108-1 was more apt at triggering tyrosine phosphorylation signals in T cells when compared with the predominant Ly108 isoform found in non-lupus-prone mice, Ly108-2. This difference was due in part to the presence in Ly108-1 of a unique intra-cytoplasmic tyrosine-based motif that promoted Ly108 signal transduction. Together these data provided a molecular explanation for the involvement of Ly108 in lupus susceptibility in mice.

Critical Role for the Chemokine Receptor CXCR6 in Homeostasis and Activation of CD1d-Restricted NKT Cells

NK T (NKT) cells play important roles in the regulation of diverse immune responses. However, little is known about the mechanisms that regulate homeostasis and activation of these cells. Thymic NKT cells up-regulated the chemokine receptor CXCR6 following positive selection and migrated toward CXCL16 in vitro. However, CXCR6 was not essential for thymic development or maturation. In contrast, liver and lung NKT cells were depleted in CXCR6+/- and CXCR6-/- mice. The reduction in liver and lung NKT cells coincided with an increase in bone marrow NKT cells, suggesting a redistribution of NKT cells in CXCR6-/- animals. In wild-type mice, CXCL16 neutralization reduced accumulation of mature NK1.1+, but not immature NK1.1- NKT cell recent thymic emigrants in the liver. Given that thymic NKT cells are preferentially exported as NK1.1- cells, this suggests an additional role for CXCR6/CXCL16 in maturation or survival of immature liver NKT cells. CXCL16 blockade did not deplete resident NK1.1+ NKT cells, indicating that CXCR6/CXCL16 are not required to retain mature NKT cells in the liver. Cytokine production by liver and spleen NKT cells was impaired in CXCR6-/- mice following in vivo stimulation with alpha-galactosylceramide, implicating a novel role for CXCR6 in NKT cell activation. Reduced IFN-gamma production was not due to an intrinsic defect as production was normal following PMA and ionomycin stimulation. Preformed transcripts for IL-4, but not IFN-gamma, were reduced in CXCR6-/- liver NKT cells. These data identify critical roles for CXCR6/CXCL16 in NKT cell activation and the regulation of NKT cell homeostasis.

Activation-induced NKT cell hyporesponsiveness protects from α-galactosylceramide hepatitis and is independent of active transregulatory factors

NK T (NKT) cells, unique lymphocytes expressing features of NK and T lymphocytes, can specifically be activated with the glycolipid antigen alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer). In humans and mice, this activation provokes pronounced cytokine responses. In C57BL/6 mice, alpha-GalCer injection additionally induces NKT-mediated liver injury, representing a model for immune-mediated hepatitis in humans. However, a single alpha-GalCer pretreatment of mice prevented NKT-mediated liver injury, cytokine responses (systemically and locally in the liver), and up-regulation of hepatocellular Fas upon alpha-GalCer rechallenge. As alpha-GalCer is used as a NKT cell-activating agent in clinical trials, an investigation of tolerance induction appears crucial. We demonstrate that alpha-GalCer tolerance does not depend on Kupffer cells, IL-10, Caspase-3-mediated apoptosis, or CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells (Tregs), which are crucial in other models of immunological tolerance. Amending relevant, earlier approaches of others, we cocultivated highly purified, nontolerized and tolerized liver NKT cells ex vivo and could convincingly exclude the relevance of transdominant NKT Tregs. These results strongly suggest alpha-GalCer-induced tolerance to be exclusively caused by NKT cell intrinsic hyporesponsiveness. Tolerized mice showed specific diminishment of the intrahepatic CD4+ NKT cell subpopulation, with the CD4(-) population largely unaffected, and revealed down-modulation of alpha-GalCer-specific TCR and the NKT costimulator glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein on liver NKT cells, whereas inhibitory Ly49I was increased. In conclusion, alpha-GalCer tolerance could serve as a model for the frequently observed NKT cell hyporesponsiveness in tumor patients and might help to develop strategies for their reactivation. Conversely, approaches to render NKT cells hyporesponsive may constitute new therapeutic strategies for diseases, where aberrant NKT cell activation is causally involved.

Chemical modification of iGb3 increases IFN-γ production by hepatic NKT cells

Isoglobotrihexosylceramide (iGb3) has been identified as an endogenous ligand recognized by NKT cells; however, it is a weak agonist compared to the exogenous α-galactosylceramide. Modification of the structure of iGb3 might improve its stimulatory activity. In this study, we assessed the stimulating activity of chemically-modified iGb3 analogues on murine hepatic NKT cells. We analyzed the percentage of IFN-γ- or IL-4-producing cells in hepatic iNKT cell population and found that two chemically-modified iGb3 analogues, especially 4‴-dh-iGb3, induced significantly greater intracellular IFN-γ+ NKT cells in liver by flow cytometry. In vivo experiments also showed that 4-HO-iGb3 and 4‴-dh-iGb3 are selectively strong inducer for rapid serum IFN-γ production compared with unmodified iGb3. Comparing the structure of iGb3 and its two iGb3 analogues, 4-HO-iGb3 has an extra hydroxy group on C4, suggesting that the additional hydroxy group of phytosphingosine might augment the stability of the CD1d/glycoceramide complex forming and thereby possibly promote IFN-γ producing. By further modifying the polysaccharide of glycolipid as did in 4‴-dh-iGb3, we found that 4‴-dh-iGb3 elicited more Th1-biased responses than iGb3 and 4-HO-iGb3. This modification might more strongly strengthen the affinity of the TCR/glycoceramide complex and ultimately polarize iNKT cells to release more Th1 cytokines. Our data suggests that a combination modification on both polysaccharide and sphingosine chain of iGb3 elicits preferential Th1-biased responses.

Critical Role for CXC Chemokine Ligand 16 (SR-PSOX) in Th1 Response Mediated by NKT Cells

The transmembrane chemokine CXCL 16 (CXCL16), which is the same molecule as the scavenger receptor that binds phosphatidylserine and oxidized lipoprotein (SR-PSOX), has been shown to mediate chemotaxis and adhesion of CXC chemokine receptor 6-expressing cells such as NKT and activated Th1 cells. We generated SR-PSOX/CXCL16-deficient mice and examined the role of this chemokine in vivo. The mutant mice showed a reduced number of liver NKT cells, and decreased production of IFN-gamma and IL-4 by administration of alpha-galactosylceramide (alphaGalCer). Of note, the alphaGalCer-induced production of IFN-gamma was more severely impaired than the production of IL-4 in SR-PSOX-deficient mice. In this context, SR-PSOX-deficient mice showed impaired sensitivity to alphaGalCer-induced anti-tumor effect mediated by IFN-gamma from NKT cells. NKT cells from wild-type mice showed impaired production of IFN-gamma, but not IL-4, after their culture with alphaGalCer and APCs from mutant mice. Moreover, Propionibacterium acnes-induced in vivo Th1 responses were severely impaired in SR-PSOX-deficient as well as NKT KO mice. Taken together, SR-PSOX/CXCL16 plays an important role in not only the production of IFN-gamma by NKT cells, but also promotion of Th1-inclined immune responses mediated by NKT cells.

Zinc-bound metallothioneins and immune plasticity: lessons from very old mice and humans

The capacity of the remodelling immune responses during stress (named immune plasticity) is fundamental to reach successful ageing. We herein report two pivotal experimental models in order to demonstrate the relevance of the immune plasticity in ageing and successful ageing. These two experimental models will be compared with the capacity in remodelling the immune response in human centenarians. With regard to experimental models, one model is represented by the circadian rhythms of immune responses, the other one is the immune responses during partial hepatectomy/liver regeneration (pHx). The latter is suggestive because it mimics the immunosenescence and chronic inflammation 48 h after partial hepatectomy in the young through the continuous production of IL-6, which is the main cause of immune plasticity lack in ageing. The constant production of IL-6 leads to abnormal increments of zinc-bound Metallothionein (MT), which is in turn unable in zinc release in ageing. As a consequence, low zinc ion bioavailability appears for thymic and extrathymic immune efficiency, in particular of liver NKT cells bearing TCR γδ. The remodelling during the circadian cycle and during pHx of zinc-bound MT confers the immune plasticity of liver NKT γδ cells and NK cells in young and very old mice, not in old mice. With regard to human centenarians and their capacity in remodelling the immune response with respect to elderly, these exceptional individuals display low zinc-bound MT associated with: a) satisfactory intracellular zinc ion availability, b) more capacity in zinc release by MT, c) less inflammation due to low gene expression of IL-6 receptor (gp130), d) increased levels of IFN-gamma and number of NKT cell bearing TCR γδ. Moreover, some polymorphisms for MT tested in PBMCs from human donors are related to successful ageing. In conclusion, zinc-bound MT homeostasis is fundamental to confer the immune plasticity that is a condition "sine qua non" to achieve healthy ageing and longevity.

The role of liver NKT cells in the regulation of peripheral immune responses (42.9)

Abstract We have previously shown that the liver plays an important role in oral tolerance induction. The liver can transfer tolerance to OVA from OVA fed mice to naïve mice. In this study we employed an oral tolerance model by OVA feeding to further explore the mechanisms underlying the role of the liver in oral tolerance induction. OVA feeding, either high dose or low dose, expanded NKT cells in the liver which expressed higher levels of CD95L and PD-L1, a moderate level of PD-1 on the surface, peaked at the 2nd dose feeding in the high dose group and at the 3rd dose feeding in the low dose group. The Foxp3+CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells (Treg) showed a slight increase in the livers and spleens in the low-fed group, but increased only in the livers in the high-fed group. OVA feeding inhibited NKT cell linked T cell proliferation in both low and high dose fed livers and spleens. Elispot assay revealed an increase in IL-4 and IFN-γ production in the low-fed mice, but increased IL-10 in the high-fed mice. Moreover, the DTH responses to OVA stimulation were increased markedly in the NKT−/− mice with high dose feeding, but showed no significant change in the PD-L1−/− mice compared to that in WT mice. Our results indicate that the liver NKT cells are important in OVA-induced oral tolerance, particularly in high dose feeding. The function of NKT cell appears to depend on CD95L and CD4+CD25+Treg, but not on the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. IL-10 appears dominant in high dose feeding, while IL-4 and IFN-γ show importance in low dose feeding.