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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
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Interview: Glycolipid Antigen Presentation by CD1d and the Therapeutic Potential of NKT cell Activation
Published on: December 31, 2007
NKT cell costimulation: experimental progress and therapeutic promise.
Marianne J van den Heuvel1, Nitan Garg, Luc Van Kaer
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Trends in Molecular Medicine
|November 20, 2010
Summary
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells show promise in therapies but need optimization. Targeting both T cell receptors and costimulatory molecules on iNKT cells offers a new strategy for improving treatment effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Immunotherapy
Background:
- Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are innate lymphocytes with unique glycolipid antigen specificity and potent immunomodulatory functions.
- While iNKT cells and α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) show therapeutic potential in cancer and viral diseases, current therapies are limited in efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in understanding iNKT cell costimulation.
- To discuss novel therapeutic strategies involving iNKT cell costimulatory molecules.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of iNKT cell costimulation.
- Analysis of T cell receptor (TCR) and costimulatory molecule targeting.
Main Results:
- Costimulatory interactions are critical for iNKT cell responses and therapeutic outcomes.
- Concomitant targeting of TCRs and costimulatory molecules presents a promising avenue for iNKT cell-based therapies.
Conclusions:
- Optimizing iNKT cell responses through costimulation is key to enhancing therapeutic efficacy.
- Tailoring glycolipids and costimulatory ligands offers potential for disease-specific iNKT cell modulation.
