The peripheral blood Vα24+NKT cell numbers decrease in patients with haematopoietic malignancy

Vα24TCR+CD161+NKT (Vα24+NKT) cells are activated by α-galactosylceramide and can exert anti-tumor activity against a variety of tumor cells. In this study, we assessed the Vα24+NKT cell numbers in peripheral blood (PB) from 30 healthy donors and 70 patients with haematopoietic malignancy including chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), malignant lymphoma (ML), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Here, we demonstrated that PB Vα24+NKT cell numbers were significantly decreased in all the patients with haematopoietic malignancy in comparison with that in healthy donors (P < 0.005). In particular CD4−CD8−Vα24+NKT cell numbers were more significantly decreased in the patients with haematopoietic malignancy (P < 0.0001).