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Beta-testing NKT cell self-reactivity

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Natural killer T cells (NKT cells) recognize lipid-based antigens presented by CD1d. The mammalian glycolipid β-glucosylceramide, a ubiquitous self antigen for NKT cells, is upregulated by microbial danger signals, which leads to activation of NKT cells in the absence of foreign glycolipid antigen.

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Figure 1: Studies by Brennan et al. Demonstrate that microbial danger signals modulate the production of mammalian β-GlcCer, leading to the activation of NKT cells4.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dale I. Godfrey and Daniel G. Pellicci are in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,

    Dale I Godfrey & Daniel G Pellicci

  2. Jamie Rossjohn is in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,

    Jamie Rossjohn

Authors
  1. Dale I Godfrey
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  2. Daniel G Pellicci
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  3. Jamie Rossjohn
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Correspondence to Dale I Godfrey.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Godfrey, D., Pellicci, D. & Rossjohn, J. Beta-testing NKT cell self-reactivity. Nat Immunol 12, 1135–1137 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.2162

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