Proposal for the designation of the natural killer antigens-positive γδ T-cell subset as γδ NKT-cells: nomenclature based on immunoprofile

Natural killer T (NKT)-cells with both T- and NK-cell antigens can be classified into αβ or γδ type according to the TCR gene expression. The WHO classification of lymphoid neoplasms did not further subdivide the above-mentioned NKT-cell malignancies according to the expression of these TCR types. γδ T-cells can be stimulated and expanded by Zoledronic acid, usually carrying Vγ9 Vδ2 TCR and various NK-associated receptors (NKR) such as CD56, CD94, CD158a, CD158b, CD161, etc. In contrast, αβ T-type NKT-cells are positive for Vα24 Vβ11 TCR. NKR positive γδ T-cells have clearly different features than the NKT-cells with Vα24 Vβ11 TCR type, αβ NKT. NKT-cells carrying γδ TCR should be classified and named as γδ NKT-cells to distinguish the cells explicitly from αβ NKT-cells.