Cell Surface Engineering to Improve Migration of Natural Killer Cells Toward Bladder Cancer

Abstract

Natural killer (NK) cells therapy for bladder cancer has shown a promise in clinical studies. However, insufficient of NK cells to the bladder cancer represents an important reason for the poor clinic trials against bladder cancer. How to improve the homing of infused NK cells is an important challenge. It is well known that chemokine receptor 3 which induces NK cells migration toward bladder cancer, expressed on NK cells. We hypothesized that CXCR3-modified NK cells could improving anti-tumor effect by enhancing homing of infused NK cells to the bladder cancer area. In this study, to provide a good mean to improve the homing of NK cells, we studied a surface modification method to incorporate CXCR3 on the surface of NK cells. In the results, this modification method shows a good biocompatibility for NK cells, and the results show that the migration of NK cells toward and against bladder cancer was enhanced. These preclinical findings suggest that CXCR3 modified NK cells may be a promising therapy for targeting bladder cancer and other tumors.