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  • Opinion
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Natural killer T cells: drivers or passengers in preventing human disease?

Nature Reviews Immunology volume 14, pages 640–646 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Natural killer T (NKT) cells are credited with regulatory roles in immunity against cancers, autoimmune diseases, allergies, and bacterial and viral infections. Studies in mice and observational research in patient groups have suggested that NKT cell-based therapies could be used to prevent or treat these diseases, yet the translation into clinical settings has been disappointing. We support the view that NKT cells have regulatory characteristics that could be exploited in clinical settings, but there are doubts about the natural roles of NKT cells in vivo and whether NKT cell defects are fundamental drivers of disease in humans. In this Opinion article, we discuss the uncertainties and opportunities regarding NKT cells in humans, and the potential for NKT cells to be manipulated to prevent or treat disease.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Prof. A. Baxter for helpful advice during the planning and preparation of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Health Sciences, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria 3350, Australia, the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, Ballarat, Victoria 3350, Australia, the Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,

    Stuart P. Berzins

  2. Department of Clinical Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Service, and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.,

    David S. Ritchie

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Correspondence to Stuart P. Berzins or David S. Ritchie.

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Berzins, S., Ritchie, D. Natural killer T cells: drivers or passengers in preventing human disease?. Nat Rev Immunol 14, 640–646 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3725

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