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Clinical Trials of Invariant Natural Killer T Cell-Based Immunotherapy for Cancer

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Natural Killer T cells

Part of the book series: Cancer Drug Discovery and Development ((CDD&D))

Abstract

Human Vα24+Vβ11+ invariant NKT (iNKT) cells are distinct lymphocytes that play an important role in tumor immunity. iNKT cells have the capability to positively modulate the function of a wide variety of immune cells in both direct and indirect manner, thereby bridging innate and acquired immunity. Abnormalities in the number and function of iNKT cells have been observed in patients with malignant diseases, and their presence is associated with a poor clinical outcome. Therefore, therapeutic strategies focused on the reconstitution of the impaired iNKT cell pool and amelioration of their function would be a reasonable rationale for the treatment of cancer. In this chapter, the progress made in the clinical trials of iNKT cell-based immunotherapy is briefly reviewed, and the role of iNKT cells in tumor immunotherapy is highlighted.

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Abbreviations

α-GalCer:

α-Galactosylceramide

APCs:

Antigen presenting cells

NKT:

Natural killer T

DCs:

Dendritic cells

GM-CSF:

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor

IL:

Interleukin

PBMCs:

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Global COE Program (Global Center for Education and Research in Immune System Regulation and Treatment), and City Area Program (Kazusa/Chiba Area), Cancer Translational Research Project and Grants-in-Aid: for Scientific Research on Priority Areas #17016010; Scientific Research (B) #21390147, Scientific Research (C) #21591808, MEXT (Japan), the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (Japan), RIKEN Research Cluster for Innovation, Uehara Memorial Foundation, Mochida Foundation, Yasuda Medical Foundation, Astellas Foundation and Sagawa Foundation, Mitsui life Social Welfare Foundation. The GMP-grade α-GalCer was provided by Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan

    Shinichiro Motohashi

  2. Thoracic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan

    Shinichiro Motohashi

  3. Otorhinolaryngolog and Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, Japan

    Yoshitaka Okamoto

  4. Department of Immunology, Chiba University School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, Japan

    Toshinori Nakayama

Authors
  1. Shinichiro Motohashi
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  2. Yoshitaka Okamoto
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  3. Toshinori Nakayama
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shinichiro Motohashi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Cancer Institute (NCI), Molecular Immunogenetics & Vaccine, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Center Drive 10, Bethesda, 20892-1578, Maryland, USA

    Masaki Terabe

  2. National Cancer Institute, Lab. Developmental &, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, 20892, Maryland, USA

    Jay A. Berzofsky

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Motohashi, S., Okamoto, Y., Nakayama, T. (2012). Clinical Trials of Invariant Natural Killer T Cell-Based Immunotherapy for Cancer. In: Terabe, M., Berzofsky, J. (eds) Natural Killer T cells. Cancer Drug Discovery and Development. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0613-6_11

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