NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy: from basic biology to clinical development

• Authors: Sizhe Liu, Northwestern University; Vasiliy Galat, Northwestern University; Yekaterina Galat, Northwestern University; Yoo Kyung Annie Lee, Emory University; Derek Wainwright, Northwestern University; Jennifer Wu, Northwestern University
• Journal Title: JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY
• Volume: Volume 14, Number 1
• Publisher: BMC | 2021-01-06, Pages 7-7
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s13045-020-01014-w
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Pathology; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Oncology; Hematology; NK cell; Cancer immunotherapy; Clinical trials; iPSC

Abstract

Natural killer (NK) cell is a specialized immune effector cell type that plays a critical role in immune activation against abnormal cells. Different from events required for T cell activation, NK cell activation is governed by the interaction of NK receptors with target cells, independent of antigen processing and presentation. Due to relatively unsophisticated cues for activation, NK cell has gained significant attention in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Many efforts are emerging for developing and engineering NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we provide our current understandings of NK cell biology, ongoing pre-clinical and clinical development of NK cell-based therapies and discuss the progress, challenges, and future perspectives.