Ex vivo induction and expansion of Natural Killer T cells by CD1d1-Ig coated artificial antigen presenting cells (41.22)

Abstract

Abstract Natural killer T (NKT) cells play a pivotal role in maintaining immune homeostasis. Many studies examining patients with cancer have shown that there is a reduction in both NKT cell number and function. Due to the complexities of manipulating NKT cells in vivo, ex vivo expanded effector NKT cells would be an excellent therapeutic modality. To date, immunotherapy utilizing the NKT/CD1d system has been dependent on the use of autologous antigen presenting cells pulsed with α-galactocylceramide (α-GalCer). In this study, we have generated CD1d- expressing artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPC) to examine co-stimulatory requirements for NKT cells and to expand NKT cells from the peripheral blood of healthy controls and cancer patients. We tracked the level of NKT cell expansion and the expanded population was characterized both phenotypically and functionally. We found that CD1d-based aAPC can effectively propagate both canonical (iNKT cells) and noncanonical NKT cells. Thus, CD1d-expressing aAPC will enhance our knowledge of NKT cell biology and could potentially be used as a novel tool in adoptive immunotherapeutic strategies.