Natural killer T cell activation protects mice against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) serves as a prototypic model for T cell-mediated autoimmunity. V alpha 14 natural killer T (NKT) cells are a subset of T lymphocytes that recognize glycolipid antigens presented by the nonpolymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-like protein CD1d. Here, we show that activation of V alpha 14 NKT cells by the glycosphingolipid alpha -galactosylceramide (alpha -GalCer) protects susceptible mice against EAE. beta -GalCer, which binds CD1d but is not recognized by NKT cells, failed to protect mice against EAE. Furthermore, alpha -GalCer was unable to protect CD1d knockout (KO) mice against EAE, indicating the requirement for an intact CD1d antigen presentation pathway. Protection of disease conferred by alpha -GalCer correlated with its ability to suppress myelin antigen-specific Th1 responses and/or to promote myelin antigen-specific Th2 cell responses. alpha -GalCer was unable to protect IL-4 KO and IL-10 KO mice against EAE, indicating a critical role for both of these cytokines. Because recognition of alpha -GalCer by NKT cells is phylogenetically conserved, our findings have identified NKT cells as novel target cells for treatment of inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system.