Editorial: NKT get the 'flu: NKT cells as (mostly) good guys in influenza; monocytic cells as double agents

摘要

ACDld-restricted subset of NKT includes conserved immune elements with positive and negative regulatory activity in immunity, including pathogen resistance. NKT cells have been shown to have physiological, protective effects in certain but not all virus infections via contributing to activation of first NK cells and subsequently, T and B cells. NKT cells can also promote the switch to a regulatory environment, limiting successful as well as pathologic adaptive responses. However, as with any immune element, excessive or chronic NKT proinflammatory activities can lead to tissue injury, for example, in myocarditis, lung diseases, and hepatitis, as a result of viral infections. The NKT role in influenza infection is only recently becoming clear.