Cutting Edge: Analysis of Human V 24 CD8 NK T Cells Activated by -Galactosylceramide-Pulsed Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells

Human V 24 NKT cells constitute a counterpart of mouse V 14 NKT cells, both of which use an invariant TCRchain. The human V 24 NKT cells as well as mouse V 14 NKT cells are activated by glycolipids in a CD1drestricted manner and produce many immunomodulatory cytokines, possibly affecting the immune balance. In mice, it has been considered from extensive investigations that V 14 CD8 NKT cells that express invariant TCR do not exist. Here we introduce human V 24 CD8 NKT cells. These cells share important features of V 24 NKT cells in common, but in contrast to CD4 CD8 (double-negative) or CD4 V 24 NKT cells, they do not produce IL-4. Our discovery may extend and deepen the research field of V 24 NKT cells as well as help to understand the mechanism of the immune balancerelated diseases. The Journal of Immunology, 2002, 168: 3140–3144.