In Vitro Modeling of Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity to Inform Personalized ALS Therapeutics.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Natural killer (NK) cells might contribute to motor neuron death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) through direct cytotoxicity, a process that could be inhibited with the FDA-approved JAK/STAT pathway inhibitor, tofacitinib. This study aimed to verify that tofacitinib can suppress NK cell cytotoxicity, investigate if immune cell profiles can predict responsiveness to tofacitinib, and assess the role of NK cell cytotoxicity in ALS progression.

Methods

Primary NK cells were isolated from peripheral blood samples of ALS participants and healthy controls. NK cells were then co-cultured with target cancer cells, with or without tofacitinib, to assess their cytotoxic activity. Flow cytometry was used to generate immune profiles for each participant, based on 154 imm

SUBMITTER: Murdock BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12516253 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature