Research from the Verykokakis lab revealed that NKT cells can act as a “double-edged sword” in liver cancer, contributing to tumor formation early on, but helping to slow tumor growth at later stages.
In their recent study, Papanastasatou et al focused on the interactions between the immune system with liver cancer, examining the functions of a unique population of T cells called Natural Killer T (NKT) cells. NKT cells reside in the liver and combine features of both innate and adaptive immunity: they respond very rapidly, like first responders, yet are highly specialized, like conventional T cells. Papanastasatou and colleagues discovered that NKT cells may initially promote liver inflammation and support tumor formation, but later they can help limit tumor growth. In liver tumors, they become exhausted or die, which allows cancer to progress more easily. In experimental models, restoring the NKT cell population reduced both the number and size of the tumors. These findings suggest that strengthening or restoring the function of NKT cells may become a new therapeutic strategy for liver cancer, highlighting the importance of understanding fundamental immune cell biology for future cancer immunotherapy.
Reference:
Maria Papanastasatou, Marianthi Gioulbasani, Evangelia Nakou, Alexandros Galaras, Teresa Rubio-Tomás, Iannis Talianidis, Aristides G. Eliopoulos, Pantelis Hatzis & Mihalis Verykokakis. Dual regulatory role of natural killer T cells during development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Commun Biol 8, 1478 (2025), DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-08872-5.