CD1d-restricted Natural Killer T Cells in Metabolic Disorders

Natural killer T (NKT) cells are a unique subset of innate immune cells, which express both T cell receptors (TCRs) and natural killer receptors. Among NKT cells, invariant NKT (iNKT) cells express in variant TCRs, recognize glycolipid antigens presented by CD1d, and produce both pro inflammatory and anti inflammatory cytokines. Recent findings showed that NKT cells, especially iNKT cells, play a regulatory role in metabolic abnormalities mainly through the interaction with CD1d. This review focused on NKT cells in obesity and their contribution to metabolic disorders, such as glucose intolerance, atherosclerosis, and non alcoholic fatty liver disease.