Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure encompass methods and compositions related to cancer treatment with particular immune effector cells as adoptive immunotherapy and/or with soluble proteins to which the immune effector cells are able to bind. In some cases, the soluble proteins are molecular adaptors that allow targeting of cancer cells that lack expression of a tumor antigen to which the adoptive immunotherapy is directed. In some embodiments, the soluble proteins are exogenously provided as cytokine-cytokine receptor pairs that improve adoptive immunotherapy.

Abstract: An isolated human NKT cell or a plurality of cells thereof, having reduced or no detectable expression of endogenous beta-2-microglobulin (B2M); endogenous MHC class II-associated invariant chain (Ii); or both. Methods to generate the cell or cells, and methods of treatment using the cell or cells are also provided.