Enhancing a Natural Killer: Modification of NK Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy.

ABSTRACT: Natural killer (NK) cells are potent innate immune system effector lymphocytes armed with multiple mechanisms for killing cancer cells. Given the dynamic roles of NK cells in tumor surveillance, they are fast becoming a next-generation tool for adoptive immunotherapy. Many strategies are being employed to increase their number and improve their ability to overcome cancer resistance and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. These include the use of cytokines and synthetic compounds to bolster propagation and killing capacity, targeting immune-function checkpoints, addition of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to provide cancer specificity and genetic ablation of inhibitory molecules. The next generation of NK cell products will ideally be readily available as an "off-the-shelf" prod

SUBMITTER: Islam R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8146003 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature