🔷Introduction ;
Natural killer (NK) cells are a cornerstone of immunotherapy due to their unique ability to recognize and destroy tumor cells and infected cells without prior sensitization. Unlike T cells, NK cells provide a rapid immune response and function independently of antigen presentation, making them particularly effective against a variety of cancers and infectious diseases. Their versatility and innate cytotoxicity make them a promising focus for next-generation immunotherapies.
🔷Recent developments;
🔹Recent advances in NK cell research are driving significant innovations in cancer treatment.
🔹Key advances include engineering NK cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-NK) to enhance their specificity and potency against tumor targets.
🔹In addition, ex vivo expansion and activation technologies have increased the availability and functional capacity of NK cells for clinical applications.
🔹Researchers have also addressed tumor-induced immunosuppression by restoring their antitumor activity by blocking inhibitory receptors on NK cells, such as NKG2A or PD-1.
🔹Another breakthrough involves the development of universal donor NK cells, which are engineered to avoid host rejection, enabling off-the-shelf therapies without the need for donor-patient matching.
🔹. In addition, combination therapy further enhances the efficacy of NK cells, combining them with immune checkpoint inhibitors, chemotherapy or radiotherapy to overcome resistant cancers and expand the therapeutic effect.
Some ongoing clinical trials have shown encouraging results, highlighting the potential of NK cell-based therapies in transforming cancer treatment and infectious disease management. We believe that as research progresses, NK cells are expected to usher in a new era of precision immunotherapy and bring new hope to patients with refractory diseases.
