Nico van Rooijen

Publications (2)35.21 Total impact

• Source

  Available from: PubMed Central

  Article: The location of splenic NKT cells favours their rapid activation by blood-borne antigen.

  Patricia Barral, María Dolores Sánchez-Niño, Nico van Rooijen, Vincenzo Cerundolo, Facundo D Batista
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  ABSTRACT: Natural killer T (NKT) cells play an important role in mounting protective responses to blood-borne infections. However, though the spleen is the largest blood filter in the body, the distribution and dynamics of NKT cells within this organ are not well characterized. Here we show that the majority of NKT cells patrol around the marginal zone (MZ) and red pulp (RP) of the spleen. In response to lipid antigen, these NKT cells become arrested and rapidly produce cytokines, while the small proportion of NKT cells located in the white pulp (WP) exhibit limited activation. Importantly, disruption of the splenic MZ by chemical or genetic approaches results in a severe reduction in NKT cell activation indicating the need of cooperation between both MZ macrophages and dendritic cells for efficient NKT cell responses. Thus, the location of splenic NKT cells in the MZ and RP facilitates their access to blood-borne antigen and enables the rapid initiation of protective immune responses.
  The EMBO Journal 04/2012; 31(10):2378-90. · 9.20 Impact Factor
• Article: CD169(+) macrophages present lipid antigens to mediate early activation of iNKT cells in lymph nodes.

  Patricia Barral, Paolo Polzella, Andreas Bruckbauer, Nico van Rooijen, Gurdyal S Besra, Vincenzo Cerundolo, Facundo D Batista
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  ABSTRACT: Invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT cells) are involved in the host defense against microbial infection. Although it is known that iNKT cells recognize glycolipids presented by CD1d, how and where they encounter antigen in vivo remains unclear. Here we used multiphoton microscopy to visualize the dynamics and activation of iNKT cells in lymph nodes. After antigen administration, iNKT cells became confined in a CD1d-dependent manner in close proximity to subcapsular sinus CD169(+) macrophages. These macrophages retained, internalized and presented lipid antigen and were required for iNKT cell activation, cytokine production and population expansion. Thus, CD169(+) macrophages can act as true antigen-presenting cells controlling early iNKT cell activation and favoring the fast initiation of immune responses.
  Nature Immunology 03/2010; 11(4):303-12. · 26.01 Impact Factor