CD1d is a special type of molecule that helps activate a specific type of immune cell called natural killer T (NKT) cells. It does this through presenting lipid antigens to NKT cells.
Scientists used a special enzyme called Sortase A to gently release CD1d from the surface of living cells. This made it easier to study the lipids that were stuck to CD1d.
With this new method, the scientists found that CD1d with the Sortase A trick still works like normal CD1d. It moves around the cell, collecting lipids in different parts, and then shows them to NKT cells. The lipids that CD1d likes to hold onto are mainly a sphingomyelin. These lipids are important because they control how NKT cells get activated.
Read more about sphingomyelins here:
#research #lipid #lipidomics #LipidMetabolism #lipotype #lipidome #immunology
