Patent ID: 8581022

Claim:
A method of identifying a compound for preventing and/or treating an autoimmune disease, comprising (1) obtaining a (BTLA −/− ) NKT cell from a non-human animal, (2) contacting the (BTLA −/− ) NKT cell ex vivo with a test compound, in the presence of an antigen, (3) measuring a response of the (BTLA −/− ) NKT cell to the antigen, (4) comparing the response of the (BTLA −/− ) NKT cell to the antigen with a response of a (BTLA −/− ) NKT cell in a control assay, and (5) selecting the compound that reduces the response of the (BTLA −/− ) NKT cell in the presence of an antigen compared to a response of a (BTLA −/− ) NKT cell in the control assay.