Journal of Clinical and Cellular Immunology
Open Access

Joan O’Keeffe

Publications

• Review Article
  Implications of Lymphocyte Anergy to Glycolipids in Multiple Sclerosis (MS): iNKT Cells May Mediate the MS Infectious Trigger
  Author(s): Edward L Hogan, Maria Podbielska, Joan O’Keeffe Edward L Hogan, Maria Podbielska, Joan O’Keeffe
  
  Immunogenic lipids may play key roles in host defenses against infection and in generating autoimmune inflammation and organ-specific damage. In multiple sclerosis (MS) there are unequivocal autoimmune features and vulnerability to aggravation or induction by microbial or viral infection. We have found glycolipid-driven anergy of circulating lymphocytes in MS indicating that this immune response is affected in MS and the robust effects of iNKT activation with potent cellular and cytokine activities emphasizes its potential importance. Diverse glycolipids including the endogenous myelin acetylated-galactosylceramides (AcGalCer) can drive activation that could be critical to the inflammatory demyelination in the central nervous system and clinical consequences. The iNKT cells and their invariant or iTCR (Vα24Jα18Vβ11) constitute an innate defense−a discrete immune.. View More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2155-9899.1000144

  Abstract PDF

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