Global trends and frontiers in iNKT cells: a bibliometric and visualized analysis

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are an unconventional lymphocyte subset that has garnered increasing attention due to their shared features with both natural killer cells and conventional T cells, as well as their unique dual immunological functions. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to trace the evolution of research in the iNKT cell field, identify emerging trends, and highlight current research hotspots and frontier directions.

We performed a literature search in the Web of Science Core Collection database to retrieve all publications related to iNKT cells published to December 31, 2024. We then used the visualization tools CiteSpace and VOSviewer to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the retrieved data.

We identified 2,579 relevant publications authored by 12,108 individuals from 2,218 institutions across 70 countries. These publications appeared in 540 journals and collectively cited 60,342 references from 4,322 different journals. The publication volume in the iNKT cell field has significantly increased since 2008, peaking at 151 articles in 2018. This surge highlights the sharp rise of research interest in this area. The United States led in publication output within this field. Among the journals, the Journal of Immunology was the most prolific and also ranked first in total citations. Besra was the most published author, while Bendelac's research was highly influential. Research on iNKT cells is undergoing a paradigm shift from mechanistic exploration to clinical application.

Our bibliometric analysis delineates the thematic evolution within the iNKT cell research landscape. Future investigations will converge on several pivotal frontiers, including improving the tumor microenvironment, reprogramming the functional activity of iNKT cells within tumors, and advancing engineered immunotherapies. Additionally, strategies to engineer iNKT cells for more targeted and effective therapeutic interventions are likely to gain momentum, as researchers aim to overcome the current limitations in the field and transition from basic mechanistic studies to more impactful clinical applications.