Infectious Diseases
Understanding Natural Killers Could Lead to New Hepatitis Treatments
By Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Apr 7, 2005, 14:10

Researchers have discovered that natural killer T (NKT)
cells, the immune system�s sentinels, patrol the
labyrinthine blood vessels of the liver for invaders or
signs of tissue damage and demonstrate a dogged behavior not
seen before in other T cells.

The new studies show that NKT cells crawl along vessel
walls, even upstream against blood flow. They halt only when
they receive a chemical signal to unleash an immune-system
assault.

The findings offer a new way of thinking about this
important class of immune cell, which is responsible for the
inflammation and cell death in the liver due to hepatitis.
Learning to "call off" the NKT cell�s pursuit and attack
could offer a treatment for hepatitis and associated
complications.

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