Effects of Invariant NKT Cells on Parasite Infections and Hygiene Hypothesis

Figure 1

Diagram of iNKT cells in diseases. Activated iNKT cells can secrete a broad range of Th1, Th2, and Th17 effector cytokines and change the cytokine profiles of hosts in vivo. iNKT cells can directly bind target cells, such as autoreactive B cells and pathogens, to mediate cytotoxic activity. Moreover, iNKT cells may cross talk and regulate different T cell subsets. Through these and other mechanisms, iNKT cells exert, in most cases, protective, or otherwise, pathogenic roles in the pathogenesis of various diseases.