Harnessing natural killer cells to develop next-generation cellular immunotherapy
- VernacularTitle:Harnessing natural killer cells to develop next-generation cellular immunotherapy
- Author:
Siyao LIU
1
;
Kaycee NGUYEN
;
Dongyong PARK
;
Nelson WONG
;
Anson WANG
;
Yubin ZHOU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords: cancer; CAR-NK immunotherapy; chimeric antigen receptor (CAR); natural killer (NK) cells
- From: Chronic Diseases and Translational Medicine 2022;08(4):245-255
- CountryChina
- Language:English
- Abstract: Cellular immunotherapy harnesses the body's own immune system to fight cancer by using engineered T cells, macrophages, or natural killer (NK) cells. Compared to chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells that are commonly used to treat hematological malignancies, CAR-NK cells have shown remarkable therapeutic effectiveness while exhibiting enhanced safety, reduced risk of graft-versus-host disease, fewer side effects, and amplified antitumor efficacy. Preclinical trials have unveiled the high potential of adoptive CAR-NK cell therapy to curtail or even eliminate both hematological malignancies and solid tumors in animal models. We brought forth herein the design principle of CAR-NK cells, highlighted the latest progress in the preclinical testing and clinical trials of CAR-NK cells, briefly delved into discussed major roadblocks in CAR-NK therapy, and discussed potential solutions to surmount these challenges. Given the accelerated progress in both basic and translational studies on immune cell engineering, CAR-NK cell therapy promises to become a serious contender and important addition to the next-generation cell-based immunotherapy.
