The Current Landscape of NKT Cell Immunotherapy and the Hills Ahead
Adam Nelson, Jordan Lukacs, Brent Johnston
Abstract
NKT cells are a specialized subset of lipid-reactive T lymphocytes that play direct and indirect roles in immunosurveillance and anti-tumor immunity. Preclinical studies have shown that NKT cell activation via delivery of exogenous glycolipids elicits a significant anti-tumor immune response. Furthermore, infiltration of NKT cells is associated with a good prognosis in several cancers. In this review, we aim to summarize the role of NKT cells in cancer as well as the current strategies and status of NKT cell immunotherapy. This review also examines challenges and future directions for improving the therapy.
Topics & Concepts
ImmunosurveillanceNatural killer T cellImmunotherapyImmunologyImmune systemCancer researchMedicineBiologyT cellImmune Cell Function and InteractionCAR-T cell therapy researchImmunotherapy and Immune Responses