Chaves, Joãoda Silva Gaspar, Paulo Jorge MirandaMacedo, Fatima2026-02-042026-02-042025-03-28http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/10806Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by deficient activity of the enzyme acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), resulting in an abnormal accumulation of sphingomyelin in lysosomes. The abnormal accumulation of sphingomyelin, a crucial cell membrane component, ultimately impairs pulmonary, hepatic, and sometimes neurological functions, with severe forms of the disease being fatal in the first years of life. Invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells are lipid-reactive T cells that play a central role in a wide range of immune responses including cancer, infection and inflammation. iNKT cells are restricted to CD1d, depending on the presentation of lipids by this molecule for their function. Sphingomyelin is a lipid with affinity for CD1d and its accumulation in ASMD influences the role of iNKT cells by impairing normal lipid antigen presentation to these cells. Interestingly, ASM-/- mice have reduced number of iNKT cells and impaired iNKT cell activity, in ASMD patients a reduced frequency of iNKT cells is also observed (1). Noteworthy, enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with recombinant ASM can prevent iNKT cell deficiency in ASM-/- mice (1). In the current study we are investigating the effect of ERT on iNKT cells in ASMD adult patients.engAcid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency (ASMD)Acid Sphingomyelinase (ASM)Lysosomal Storage DiseaseiNKTDoenças Genéticasconference object