alpha-galactosylceramide-pulsed dendritic cells

Alpha-galactosylceramide-pulsed dendritic cells are an autologous cell therapy designed to activate invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells for the treatment of solid tumors. The therapy involves harvesting dendritic cells (DCs) from a patient, maturing them ex vivo, and loading (pulsing) them with alpha-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer), a synthetic glycolipid ligand typically derived from the marine sponge-derived compound KRN7000. When re-infused into the patient, these DCs present α-GalCer via CD1d molecules to the T-cell receptors of iNKT cells. This interaction triggers rapid and robust cytokine production, particularly interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), which subsequently activates a cascade of innate and adaptive immune responses, including the recruitment and activation of NK cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Developed through collaborative research involving Chiba University, RIKEN, and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), this approach has demonstrated clinical activity in advanced non-small cell lung cancer and head and neck cancers.

Other names

alpha-galactosylceramide-pulsed DCalpha-GalCer-pulsed DCiNKT cell-activating dendritic cellsdendritic cells pulsed with alpha-galactosylceramide