The tumor microenvironment drives NK cell metabolic dysfunction leading to impaired antitumor activity.

ABSTRACT: NK cells represent key players capable of driving antitumor immune responses. However, the potent immunosuppressive activity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) may impair their effector function. Here, we strengthen the importance of metabolic interactions between NK cells and TME and propose metabolic dysfunction as one of the major mechanisms behind NK failure in cancer treatment. In particular, we described that TME has a direct negative impact on NK cell function by disrupting their mitochondrial integrity and function in pediatric and adult patients with primary and metastatic cancer. Our results will help to design new strategies aimed at increasing the NK cell antitumor efficacy by their metabolic reprogramming. In this regard, we reveal an unprecedented role of IL15 in the metabol

SUBMITTER: Tumino N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10107325 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature