Invariant natural killer T cell deficiency leads to the development of spontaneous liver inflammation dependent on gamma delta T cells in mice

摘要

Immune tolerance is maintained in the liver, and perturbation of tolerance can lead to immune-mediated liver diseases such as autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and gamma delta T cells have been shown to maintain immune homeostasis as regulatory cells and to play pathogenic roles in immune-mediated diseases as effector cells. We hypothesized that iNKT cells and gamma delta T cells are involved in the maintenance of hepatic immune tolerance and immune-mediated liver disease.