由 iNKT 细胞协调的 CD8(+) T 细胞免疫

CD8 + T cells belonging to the adaptive immune system play key roles in defending against viral infections and cancers. The current CD8 + T cell-based immunotherapy has emerged as a superior therapeutic avenue for the eradication of tumor cells and long-term prevention of their recurrence in hematologic malignancies. It is believed that an effective adaptive immune response critically relies on the help of the innate compartment. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are innate-like T lymphocytes that have been considered some of the first cells to respond to infections and can secrete a large amount of diverse cytokines and chemokines to widely modulate the innate and adaptive immune responders.

Like CD8 + T cells, iNKT cells also play an important role in defense against intracellular pathogenic infections and cancers. In this review, we will discuss the CD8 + T-cell immunity contributed by iNKT cells, including iNKT cell-mediated cross-priming and memory formation, and discuss recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying memory CD8 + T-cell differentiation, as well as aging-induced impairment of T-cell immunity.