| Summary: | The immune microenvironment plays an important role in tumor progression including in
hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, detailed understanding of immune subsets within
the microenvironment, especially Natural Killer T cells (NKT) remains elusive. Using high
throughput immunophenotyping tool: Time-Of-Flight Mass Cytometry (CyTOF), we identified
unique NKT populations enriched in tumor versus peripheral circulation and non-tumor (NT).
Firstly, tumor is enriched with CD8+iNKT cells that showed immunosuppressive phenotypes
with the expression of PD-1, an exhaustion marker. They however remained functionally
competent with the expression of IFN when activated ex vivo. Secondly, when compared to
the NT compartment, CD4+iNKT cells were particularly enriched in tumor. Thirdly, the
expression of IL22 by tumor-enriched iNKT cells when activated ex vivo may indicate a
potential role for tumor progression. Furthermore, some NKT cells enriched in tumor
expressed a homing receptor CXCR3 indicating their potential for tumor infiltration in
response to CXCL10. Lastly, tumor microenvironment as analyzed at the gene expression
level was geared towards functionally incompetent NKT cells. The current study improves
our understanding of the phenotypes of NKT cells enriched in HCC and implicates potential
intervention for cancer immunotherapy in future.
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