Adjuvant activity mediated by iNKT cells

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells have adjuvant activity due to their ability to produce large amounts of IFN-γ, which activates other cells in innate and acquired systems, and orchestrates protective immunity. Based on these adjuvant mechanisms, we developed iNKT cell-targeted adjuvant therapy and carried out a phase I/IIa trial on advanced lung cancer patients. The patient group with increased numbers of IFN-γ-producing cells showed prolonged survival with a median survival time of 31.9 months. Sixty percent of the patients in this group survived for more than 2 years with only a primary treatment and without tumor progression and metastasis.