Takaaki Kaneko

Dendritic cell maturation by CD11c− T cells and Vα24+ natural killer T‐cell activation by α‐Galactosylceramide

Human invariant Vα24+ natural killer T (NKT) cells display potent antitumor activity upon stimulation. Activation of endogenous Vα24+ NKT cells would be one strategy for the treatment of cancer patients. For example, dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with a glycolipid NKT cell ligand, α‐galactosylceramide (αGalCer, KRN7000), are a possible tool for the activation and expansion of functional Vα24+ NKT cells in vivo. In this report, we demonstrate that the levels of expansion and the ability to produce IFN‐γ of Vα24+ NKT cells induced by αGalCer‐loaded whole PBMCs cultured with IL‐2 and GM‐CSF (IL‐2/GM‐CSF‐cultured PBMCs) were superior to those of cells induced by monocyte‐derived CD11c+ DCs (moDCs) developed with IL‐4 and GM‐CSF. Interestingly, CD11c+ cells in the IL‐2/GM‐CSF‐cultured PBMCs showed a mature phenotype without further stimulation and exerted potent stimulatory activity on Vα24+ NKT cells to enable them to produce IFN‐γ preferentially at an extent equivalent to mature moDCs induced by stimulation with LPS or a cytokine cocktail. Cocultivation with CD11c− cells in the IL‐2/GM‐CSF‐cultured PBMCs induced maturation of moDCs. In particular, CD11c−CD3+ T cells appeared to play important roles in DC maturation. In addition, TNF‐α was preferentially produced by CD11c−CD3+ T cells in IL‐2/GM‐CSF‐cultured PBMCs and was involved in the maturation of moDCs. Thus, the maturation of DCs induced by CD11c− T cells through TNF‐α production appears to result in the efficient expansion and activation of Vα24+ NKT cells to produce IFN‐γ preferentially.

A case of basaloid carcinoma of the esophagus with a solitary lung metastasis for which thoracoscopic partial lung resection was performed.

We experienced a case of basaloid carcinoma of the esophagus with a solitary lung metastasis for which thoracoscopic partial lung resection was performed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of basaloid carcinoma of the esophagus with lung metastasis for which surgery was performed. There are no evidence-based treatment strategies for postoperative recurrence of basaloid carcinoma of the esophagus. Treatment strategies such as adjuvant therapy centered on chemotherapy and surgical indications should be established.