Roles of NKT cells in cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as an effective therapeutic strategy to treat cancer. Among diverse immune populations, invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells have shown potent antitumor activity by linking innate and adaptive immune systems. Upon activation by lipid antigens on CD1d molecules, iN...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of pharmacal research 2019, 42(7), , pp.543-548
Main Authors: Bae, Eun-Ah, Seo, Hyungseok, Kim, Il-Kyu, Jeon, Insu, Kang, Chang-Yuil
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Humans
Immunotherapy
Medicine
Natural Killer T-Cells - immunology
Neoplasms - immunology
Neoplasms - therapy
Pharmacology/Toxicology
Pharmacy
Review
약학
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Summary:Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as an effective therapeutic strategy to treat cancer. Among diverse immune populations, invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells have shown potent antitumor activity by linking innate and adaptive immune systems. Upon activation by lipid antigens on CD1d molecules, iNKT cells rapidly produce various cytokines and trigger antitumor immunity directly or indirectly by activating other antitumor immune cells. Administration of a representative iNKT cell ligand alpha-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) or α-GalCer-pulsed APCs effectively stimulates iNKT cells and thereby induces antitumor effects. In this review, we will introduce the biology and importance of NKT cells in antitumor immunity. Previous studies have demonstrated that iNKT cells not only activate various immune cells but also reinvigorate exhausted immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, we will summarize the major clinical trials utilizing iNKT-based immunotherapies.
ISSN:0253-6269
1976-3786
DOI:10.1007/s12272-019-01139-8