Table 1.
Kinetic analysis of number of iNK T cells in the spleen at various times after multi-dose treatment with glycolipid
| Day post-MLD (glycolipid) | Total cells (×10−6) | iNK T cells (×10−6) |
|---|---|---|
| α-GalCer | ||
| 1 | 121·2 ± 20·3 | 0·6 ± 0·2 |
| 3 | 96·8 ± 24·2 | 0·3 ± 0·1* |
| 7 | 78·2 ± 11·9 | 0·2 ± 0·0* |
| C16:0 | ||
| 1 | 122·5 ± 10·8 | 0·5 ± 0·1 |
| 3 | 94·8 ± 26·0 | 0·6 ± 0·0 |
| 7 | 109 ± 12·2 | 0·5 ± 0·0 |
| C8:0 | ||
| 1 | 109·0 ± 12·2 | 0·2 ± 0·1* |
| 3 | 134·9 ± 22·0 | 0·2 ± 0·1* |
| 7 | 57·0 ± 21·3 | 0·1 ± 0·0* |
| Vehicle | ||
| 1 | 120·9 ± 20·5 | 0·4 ± 0·1 |
| 3 | 75·9 ± 12·0 | 0·7 ± 0·1 |
| 7 | 64·1 ± 22·7 | 0·5 ± 0·1 |
Female non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice (n = 5, 3–5-week-old) were treated every other day for 3 weeks with glycolipid (4 µg) or vehicle, and were then rested for 1 day, 3 days or 7 days. Absolute numbers of iNK T cells in the spleen were calculated by multiplying the percentages of iNK T cells obtained by flow cytometry (Fig. 7b) by the total lymphocyte counts per spleen from individual mice. Data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation for each group of five mice analysed. For each mouse, a minimum of 2 × 105 gated lymphocytes and 2 × 104 iNK T cells were enumerated by flow cytometry. An asterisk (*) indicates statistical significance (P ≤ 0·05) less than vehicle control values. α-GalCer: α-galactosylceramide; MLD, multi-low dose.