Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells, which recognize and kill target cells independent of antigen specificity and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) matching, play pivotal roles in immune defence against tumors. However, tumor cells often acquire the ability to escape NK cell-mediated immune surveillance. Thus, understanding mechanisms underlying regulation of NK cell phenotype and function within the tumor environment is instrumental for designing new approaches to improve the current cell-based immunotherapy. In this review, we elaborate the main biological features and molecular mechanisms of NK cells that pertain to regulation of NK cell-mediated anti-tumor activity. We further overview current clinical approaches regarding NK cell-based cancer therapy, including cytokine infusion, adoptive transfer of autologous or allogeneic NK cells, applications of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing NK cells and adoptive transfer of memory-like NK cells. With these promising clinical outcomes and fuller understanding the basic questions raised in this review, we foresee that NK cell-based approaches may hold great potential for future cancer immunotherapy.
Highlights
Cancer is a major public health problem all over the world
We further overview current clinical approaches regarding Natural killer (NK) cell-based cancer therapy, including cytokine infusion, adoptive transfer of autologous or allogeneic NK cells, applications of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing NK cells and adoptive transfer of memory-like NK cells. With these promising clinical outcomes and fuller understanding the basic questions raised in this review, we foresee that NK cell-based approaches may hold great potential for future cancer immunotherapy
In China, researchers attempt to suppress the recurrence of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation using NK Cells from sibship
Summary
In the mid-1970s, NK cells were originally identified by Kiessling as a sub-population of lymphocytes in mice that are larger in size than T and B lymphocytes and have the capacity to kill tumor cells without prior sensitization [5,6,7]. CD56dim subsets predominately reside in peripheral blood (90%–95%) and inflammatory sites, which exhibit a high cytotoxic potential after encountering target cells [14,15,16]. Approximately 90% NK cells in secondary lymphoid tissues belong to the CD56bright population that primarily exerts immunoregulatory function by producing abundant cytokines or chemokines [16,17]. Further studies on human NK subsets defined by CD11b and CD27 markers have revealed four populations with distinct maturation stages, tissue distribution patterns and functional properties [19,20]. These studies have showed that the CD56bright population remains heterogenous. Further understanding of distinct properties of these NK subsets at the steady state or under inflammatory/tumor settings may be instrumental for designing clinical applications of NK cells
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