β-mannosylceramide and stimulation of NKT cell anti-tumor immunity

摘要

β-mannosylceramides or salts or solvates thereof in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for use as a Type I NKT cell agonist in conjunction with a therapeutically effective amount of α-galactosylceramide or a salt or a solvate thereof, and/or at least one or more T-cell co-stimulatory molecules, disclosed. Compositions comprising β-mannosylceramide, as well as methods of treatment of tumors are also provided.

主权项

1. A method for activating a mammalian NKT cell in vitro comprising:
culturing in vitro a mononuclear cell fraction comprising one or more mammalian NKT cells in the presence of a composition in an amount sufficient to activate a mammalian NKT cell in vitro, wherein the composition comprises a β-mannosylceramide (β-ManCer) or salt or solvate thereof in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the β-ManCer consists of a β-mannosyl moiety linked to a ceramide moiety, the ceramide moiety consisting of: a) a sphingosine moiety linked to b) a fatty acid moiety comprising a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic hydrocarbon group having from about 8 to about 49 carbon atoms.