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Updated: Feb 21, 2026
Purification and Expansion of Mouse Invariant Natural Killer T Cells for in vitro and in vivo Studies
Published on: February 15, 2021
Frequency and proliferative response of circulating invariant natural killer T cells in pediatric patients with
Tomoro Hishiki1,2,3, Naoko Mise4,5, Kazuaki Harada4,5
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. hishiki-tmr@umin.ac.jp.
Background:
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells play an important role in tumor immunity, enhancing both innate and acquired immunity. We have previously shown the enhancement of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against neuroblastoma by activated iNKT cells. As a first step towards clinical application, we studied the frequency and proliferative response of circulating iNKT cells in children with and without cancer.
Methods:
Blood samples were collected from 10 patients with pediatric malignant solid tumors and 11 patients with non-neoplastic diseases (control). The frequency of circulating iNKT cells was quantified by flow cytometry. Whole peripheral blood mononuclear cells were then stimulated with α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) for 7 days, and the expansion rate of the iNKT-cell fraction was assessed.
Results:
The frequency of iNKT cells in the patients of the cancer and control group did not differ to a statistically significant extent. The iNKT-cell population increased after α-GalCer stimulation in all cases. The iNKT cells of patients who had undergone intensive chemotherapy also had the potential to expand in vitro.
Conclusions:
Unlike adult cancer patients, the numbers of circulating iNKT cells were not decreased in pediatric cancer patients. α-GalCer stimulation induced a proliferative response in all of the patients.
