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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Isolation and Expansion of Cytotoxic Cytokine-induced Killer T Cells for Cancer Treatment
Published on: January 24, 2020
Cytokine-induced killer cells are type II natural killer T cells
Stefan Gütgemann1, Susanne Frank, John Strehl
1Department of Internal Medicine I, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany.
Background:
Until now, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells were assumed to be part of the type I natural killer T (NKT) cell population, but it was not yet investigated if this is correct.
Methods:
For analysis, CIK cells were generated by various culture conditions. Human type I NKT cells express a T cell receptor (TCR) composed of an invariant V alpha 24-J alpha Q chain combined with one of several V beta chains. The V alpha 24 is a reliable marker for the presence of these TCRs.
Results:
While comparing cultures stimulated with different substances, we observed the lack of any V alpha 24 on the surface of CIK culture cells.
Conclusion:
We conclude that CIK cells do not belong to the type I NKT cells.
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