Preclinical investigation of anti-tumor efficacy of allogeneic natural killer cells combined with cetuximab for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) presents a significant therapeutic challenge because of the limited effectiveness of current treatments including immunotherapy and chemotherapy. This study investigated the potential of a novel combination therapy using allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells and cetuximab, an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody, to enhance anti-tumor efficacy in HNSCC. Allogeneic NK cells were tested against HNSCC cells in vitro and NOG (NOD/Shi-scid/IL-2Rγ null) xenograft mouse models for cytotoxicity. In vitro assays demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity against HNSCC cells when NK cells were combined with cetuximab, a phenomenon attributed to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. In vivo, the combination therapy exhibited a significant

SUBMITTER: Kim C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11893940 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature