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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Purification and Expansion of Mouse Invariant Natural Killer T Cells for in vitro and in vivo Studies
Published on: February 15, 2021
Invariant natural killer T cell-based immunotherapy for cancer
Shinichiro Motohashi1, Toshinori Nakayama
1Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
Abstract:
Human Valpha24 invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a distinct lymphocyte population, characterized by an invariant T-cell receptor Valpha24 chain paired mainly with Valpha11. Valpha24 iNKT cells are activated by a glycolipid ligand - alpha-galactosylceramide - and produce a large amount of Th1 and Th2 cytokines, thereby modulating the function of other cells. iNKT cells have the capability to control a wide variety of immune responses, including antitumor immunity. Abnormalities in the number and function of Valpha24 iNKT cells have been observed in patients with malignant diseases accompanied with a poor clinical outcome. Therefore, therapeutic strategies that focused on the restoration of Valpha24 iNKT cell population and function would be a reasonable rationale for the treatment of cancer. In this article, the progress to date in the clinical studies of iNKT cell-based immunotherapy is briefly reviewed and the role of Valpha24 iNKT cells in cancer immunotherapy is highlighted.
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