Background & Aim: Preeclampsia (PE) is the most common hypertensive disorder after 20 weeks of gestation, and its complications are the leading cause of maternal and fetal mortalities. Changes in the innate and adaptive immune systems play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of PE. Natural Killer Cells (NKTs) are the most abundant leukocytes during pregnancy, recruited and activated by ovarian hormones in the decidua. Recent evidence supports the idea that NKT cells exist in various environmental tissues and the decidua with their unique transcriptional profiles and cytokines, and bridge between innate and adaptive immune systems. Therefore, this study aimed to review the number, phenotype, changes, and functional function of NKT cells in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia. Materials & Methods: This study was a narrative review that utilized the PubMed-Medline and Embase databases to search for the role of NKT cells in pregnancy and preeclampsia. Data were obtained from searching and extracting relevant articles. Findings: The results of various studies showed that the number of NKT cells increases in preeclampsia compared to normal pregnancy. However, there isn't any significant difference in the quantity and characteristics of iNKT cells between normal pregnancy and preeclampsia. Nonetheless, normal pregnant women exhibit a slight but meaningful reduction in the secretion of IFN-γ from iNKT cells compared to women with preeclampsia. Discussion and Conclusion: NKT cells regulate the balance of Th1 and Th2 responses by secreting interleukin-4 and interferon-γ. During pregnancy, maternal immunity is biased towards the production of type 2 cytokines to inhibit the function of type 1 cytokines, which can be harmful to the developing fetus. This shift to type 2 cytokines occurs in normal pregnancy.

Background: NK (natural killer) and NKT (natural killer T) cells, as components of innate immune system, play a crucial role in tumor progression and dissemination. Objective: To investigate the percentages of NK cells, NKT cells, iNKT (invariant natural killer T) cells, total T lymphocytes as well as activated T lymphocytes, in tumor draining lymph nodes (TDLNs) of patients with breast cancer (BC) and their association with different clinic-pathological features of the patients. Methods: Axillary lymph nodes were obtained from 30 Iranian women with breast cancer. After routine pathological evaluations, mononuclear cells were separated from their lymph nodes and incubated with appropriate fluorochrome conjugated monoclonal antibodies specific for CD3, HLA-DR, CD16/56, and Vα 24Jα 18-TCR. Data were collected on a four-color flow cytometer and analyzed by CellQuest software. Results: The mean percentages of NK (CD3-CD16/56+), NKT (CD3+CD16/56+) and iNKT (Vα 24Jα 18-TCR+) cells in TDLNs mononuclear cells of BC patients were 2. 04%, 2. 44% and 0. 1%, respectively. A significant decrease in the percentages of NK and iNKT subsets in patients with grade I was observed compared to grade III (p=0. 03 and p=0. 01, respectively). Moreover, NK cells were increased in patients with grade III of BC compared to grade II (p= 0. 003). Conclusion: The increase in the percentage of NK and iNKT cells in TDLNs of patients with higher grade of BC might suggest a suppressive phenotype for these cells in breast cancer, which merit more functional investigation.

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are dichotomously involved in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection as principal members of innate immunity. An effective treatment should enhance the antiviral potentials of NK cells and not their immunomodulatory roles. TIM-3 (T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-containing domain) is a molecule with an essential role in controlling immune tolerance. TIM-3 demonstrated the highest expression among NK cells of patients with chronic liver disorders. Statins have been reported to attenuate the levels of TIM-3 on NK cells. Objectives: To investigate the frequencies of NK cells, NKT cells, and TIM-3+ population in patients with CHB upon rosuvastatin (RSV) intervention. Methods: Thirty confirmed patients with CHB were randomly assigned into two groups of 15 (receiving 20 mg of RSV or placebo per day) for 12 weeks. We evaluated the percentages of TIM-3+ cells by staining the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with CD3, CD16, and CD56 markers using flow cytometry. Results: Our findings indicated that RSV administration could increase CD3-CD56+ NK cells (P>0. 05) and CD3+ CD16+ CD56+ NKT cells (P<0. 05). RSV intervention could reduce the percentages of TIM-3+ cells among NK cells (P<0. 01) and NKT cells (P> 0. 05) of patients with CHB compared with the placebo group. Conclusions: The increased population of NK and NKT cells and the effective reduction of TIM-3+ cells among patients with CHB delineated that rosuvastatin could be proposed as an appropriate modulator of innate immune response (regarding NK and NKT cells) in favor of enhancing their antiviral activities.

Background and Aims: Natural killer T (NKT) cells have been suggested to play critical roles in a wide range of immune responses especially against hepatotropic pathogens such as hepatitis C virus (HCV). In the present study, we investigated the status of NKT cells by producing interleukin-17 cytokine in peripheral blood.Materials and Methods: As case-control study, 15 patients with chronic HCV infection and healthy individuals were enrolled in the study. We determined the serum and peripheral blood IL-17 levels after activating by based on Galactosylceramid and IL-2 then the IL-17 level was measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbentassey (ELISA) methods.Results: Plasma level of IL-17 in patients with chronic infection did not differ compared to the control group (5.5±2.4 vs. 6.2±1.2 pg/ml; p=0.5). The level of supernatant IL-17 was significantly higher in both Galactosylceramid-IL-2-stimulated PBMCs than control group and the ratio IL-17 after 72 h was higher than the other times. The plasma level of IL-17 in HCV 3a-infected patients was higher than 1a-type patients but the difference was not significant (6±2.5 vs. 4.8±2.5 p=0.45).Conclusion: As the recent data, the roles of NKT cells in human liver injury and fibrosis remain unknown. However, the precise role of NKT cells in HCV patients as this play a role in innate immune responses in the liver in higher samples was performed.

Background: Clinical manifestations SARS-CoV-2 infection are variable, ranging from asymptomatic to pneumonia, and different serious complications. It has been observed that some populations exhibit an enhanced risk for severe disease and death, compared to other ethnical groups.Objective: To evaluate two parameters of the innate immune system, which have a relevant role in viral immunity.Methods: In samples of peripheral blood from sixteen patients with severe COVID-19, ten with asymptomatic-mild disease, and fifteen healthy controls, the numbers of NK and NKT cells, the expression of different NK cell receptors and the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were analyzed.Results: We found that patients with severe COVID-19 showed significant lower levels of both CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells compared to patients with mild disease or healthy subjects. Furthermore, an abnormal expression of the natural cytotoxicity receptors NKp30, NKp44 and NKp46 was observed in severe COVID-19 patients. Likewise, NK cells from these patients also showed significant differences in the expression of several killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR’s), in the two main cell subsets (CD56bright, CD56dim), compared to controls or patients with mild disease. Moreover, patients with severe COVID-19 showed lower levels of NKT cells (defined as CD3+CD56+) and increased serum concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8.Conclusion: We consider that the abnormalities in NK and NKT cells observed in patients with severe COVID-19 might have a relevant role in the outcome of this infection in some population groups.

Introduction: Natural killer T (NKT) cells are a subset of lymphocytes that express some NK cells properties. NKT cells have a regulatory role in immune responses. Little is known about the potential role of NKT cells in human infectious diseases. The goal of the present study was determination of frequency of Va24Vb11 and CD3CD56 NKT cells in tuberculosis patients. Methods: According to our criteria, three groups were selected for our study: 30 healthy PPD positive skin test reactors, 30 healthy PPD negative skin test reactors, 30 new case active TB patients and 25 Multi-drug resistance Tuberculosis (MDRTB) patients. Frequency of Va24Vb11 and CD3CD56 NKT cells in fresh peripheral blood was determined by Flow cytometry. Results: Frequency of Va24Vb11 NKT cells in the new case TB and MDRTB patients as compared to PPD positive healthy donors was significantly decreased (P<0.05), whereas CD3CD56 NKT cell numbers were similar in all groups. Conclusion: According to our results decrease in frequency of Va24Vb11 NKT cells may be related to insufficient immune responses to mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, especially in MDRTB patients.

Background: Circulating lymphocytes can put up understanding of the interactions between tumor cells and lymphocytes infiltrating the tumor microenvironment. Objective: In this sense, the prognostic value of the inflammatory cell in breast cancer (BC) peripheral blood needs to be evaluated; this would suggest that estimation and evaluation of these circulating lymphocytes could provide a prognostic value in BC. Methods: The present study was a prospective case-control study, 30 Patients with operable breast cancer; any T, any N, M0, treated surgically with either modified radical mastectomy or breast conservative surgery, and 20 healthy controls were included. For detection of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood; Fluorochrome-labeled monoclonal primary antibodies were used, the cells were analyzed by FACSCalibur flow cytometry with Cell Quest software, then patients were treated with chemotherapy, 3DCRT, and hormonal treatment, and followed up to determine relapses and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results: Significant differences of different cell types B, T, NK, NKT, and CD28-T between BC patients and controls, significant differences of CD8+CD28-cells among different biologic subtypes, negative correlations between CD8+CD28-cells and memory B cells, and RFS. Significant differences of naï ve B cells among different grades of BC, and negative correlation between B cells and NKT cells. Conclusion: NK, NKT, lymphocytes, and CD28-Tcells significantly differed between healthy controls and BC patients; also, different B cells were associated with good response to treatment while CD28-cells were associated with shorter RFS.

Introduction: Natural killer T (NKT) cells are a subset of lymphocytes that express some NK cells properties. NKT cells have a regulatory role in immune responses. Little is known about the potential role of NKT cells in human infectious diseases. The goal of the present study was determination of frequency of Va24Vb11 and CD3CD56 NKT cells in tuberculosis patients.Methods: According to our criteria, three groups were selected for our study: 30 healthy PPD positive skin test reactors, 30 healthy PPD negative skin test reactors, 30 new case active TB patients and 25 Multi-drug resistance Tuberculosis (MDRTB) patients. Frequency of Va24Vb11 and CD3CD56 NKT cells in fresh peripheral blood was determined by Flow cytometry.Results: Frequency of Va24Vb11 NKT cells in the new case TB and MDRTB patients as compared to PPD positive healthy donors was significantly decreased (P<0.05), whereas CD3CD56 NKT cell numbers were similar in all groups.Conclusion: According to our results decrease in frequency of Va24Vb11 NKT cells may be related to insufficient immune responses to mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, especially in MDRTB patients.