Interleukin-15 stimulates natural killer cell-mediated killing of both human pancreatic cancer and stellate cells.

ABSTRACT: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the 4^th leading cause of cancer-related death in Western countries with a 5-year survival rate below 5%. One of the hallmarks of this cancer is the strong desmoplastic reaction within the tumor microenvironment (TME), orchestrated by activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSC). This results in a functional and mechanical shield which causes resistance to conventional therapies. Aiming to overcome this resistance by tackling the stromal shield, we assessed for the first time the capacity of IL-15 stimulated natural killer (NK) cells to kill PSC and pancreatic cancer cells (PCC). The potency of IL-15 to promote NK cell-mediated killing was evaluated phenotypically and functionally. In addition, NK cell and immune checkpoint ligands on PSC w

SUBMITTER: Van Audenaerde JRM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5593617 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature