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. 2013 Jan 1;2(1):e22337.
doi: 10.4161/onci.22337.

NK cell-released exosomes: Natural nanobullets against tumors

Stefano Fais  1
Affiliations

NK cell-released exosomes: Natural nanobullets against tumors

Stefano Fais. Oncoimmunology. .

Abstract

We have recently reported that human natural killer (NK) cells release exosomes that express both NK-cell markers and cytotoxic molecules. Similar results were obtained with circulating exosomes from human healthy donors. Both NK-cell derived and circulating exosomes exerted a full functional activity and killed both tumor and activated immune cells. These findings indicate that NK-cell derived exosomes might constitute a new promising therapeutic tool.

Keywords: exosomes; nanomedicine; natural killer; perorin; theranostic.

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Figures

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Figure 1. Mechanisms through which NK-cell derived exosomes may interact with target cells. Natural killer (NK) cell-derived exosomes express two molecules involved in cytotoxicity: perforin, which may exert its action upon fusion of exosomes with the plasma membrane of target cells, and FASL, which mediates cytotoxic effects by interacting with FAS on the plasma membrane of target cells
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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