Advances in NKT cell Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma

Type I or invariant natural killer T cells belong to a unique lineage of innate T cells, which express markers of both T lymphocytes and NK cells, namely T cell receptor (TCR) and NK1.1 (CD161C), respectively. Thus, apart from direct killing of target cells like NK cells, and they also produce a myriad of cytokines which modulate the adaptive immune responses. Unlike traditional T cells which carry a conventional αβ TCR, NKT cells express semi-invariant TCR – Vα14-Jα18, coupled with Vβ8, Vβ7 and Vβ2 in mice. In humans, the invariant TCR is composed of Vα24-Jα18, coupled with Vβ11.