Therapeutic activation of Valpha24+Vbeta11+ NKT cells in human subjects results in highly coordinated secondary activation of acquired and innate immunity

Blood. 2004 Jan 15;103(2):383-9. doi: 10.1182/blood-2003-04-1155. Epub 2003 Sep 25.

Abstract

Human Valpha24+Vbeta11+ natural killer T (NKT) cells are a distinct CD1d-restricted lymphoid subset specifically and potently activated by alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) (KRN7000) presented by CD1d on antigen-presenting cells. Preclinical models show that activation of Valpha24+Vbeta11+ NKT cells induces effective antitumor immune responses and potentially important secondary immune effects, including activation of conventional T cells and NK cells. We describe the first clinical trial of cancer immune therapy with alpha-GalCer-pulsed CD1d-expressing dendritic cells. The results show that this therapy has substantial, rapid, and highly reproducible specific effects on Valpha24+Vbeta11+ NKT cells and provide the first human in vivo evidence that Valpha24+Vbeta11+ NKT cell stimulation leads to activation of both innate and acquired immunity, resulting in modulation of NK, T-, and B-cell numbers and increased serum interferon-gamma. We present the first clinical evidence that Valpha24+Vbeta11+ NKT cell memory produces faster, more vigorous secondary immune responses by innate and acquired immunity upon restimulation.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antigens, CD / immunology
  • Antigens, CD1 / immunology*
  • Antigens, CD1d
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology*
  • Immunologic Memory / immunology
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Immunotherapy* / adverse effects*
  • Interferon-gamma / blood
  • Interleukin-12 / blood
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Lymphocyte Activation*
  • Lymphocyte Count
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, CD1
  • Antigens, CD1d
  • CD1D protein, human
  • Interleukin-12
  • Interferon-gamma