Activation of invariant natural killer T cells impedes liver regeneration by way of both IFN‐γ‐ and IL‐4‐dependent mechanisms
Shi Yin, Hua Wang, Adeline Bertola, Dechun Feng, Ming‐jiang Xu, Yan Wang, Bin Gao – 13 March 2014 – Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a major subset of lymphocytes found in the liver. These cells mediate various functions, including hepatic injury, fibrogenesis, and carcinogenesis. However, the function of iNKT cells in liver regeneration remains unclear. In the present study, partial hepatectomy (PHx) was used to study liver regeneration. α‐Galactosylceramide (α‐GalCer), a specific ligand for iNKT cells, was used to induce iNKT cell activation.