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

doi:10.1186/s13045-020-01014-w

Review

. 2021 Jan 6;14(1):7.

doi: 10.1186/s13045-020-01014-w.

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

Sizhe Liu¹, Vasiliy Galat^{2

3

4}, Yekaterina Galat^{4

5}, Yoo Kyung Annie Lee⁶, Derek Wainwright⁷, Jennifer Wu⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Superior St., Lurie Research Building 6-117, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
² Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
³ Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
⁵ Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia.
⁶ Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
⁷ Departments of Neurological Surgery, Medicine-Hematology and Oncology, Microbiology-Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
⁸ Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Superior St., Lurie Research Building 6-117, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. jennifer.wu@northwestern.edu.

PMID: 33407739
PMCID: PMC7788999
DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-01014-w

Review

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

Sizhe Liu et al. J Hematol Oncol. 2021.

. 2021 Jan 6;14(1):7.

doi: 10.1186/s13045-020-01014-w.

Authors

Sizhe Liu¹, Vasiliy Galat^{2

3

4}, Yekaterina Galat^{4

5}, Yoo Kyung Annie Lee⁶, Derek Wainwright⁷, Jennifer Wu⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Superior St., Lurie Research Building 6-117, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
² Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
³ Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
⁵ Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia.
⁶ Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
⁷ Departments of Neurological Surgery, Medicine-Hematology and Oncology, Microbiology-Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
⁸ Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Superior St., Lurie Research Building 6-117, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. jennifer.wu@northwestern.edu.

PMID: 33407739
PMCID: PMC7788999
DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-01014-w

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.

Keywords: Cancer immunotherapy; Clinical trials; NK cell; iPSC.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no conflict of interest.

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References

1. Guerra N, et al. NKG2D-deficient mice are defective in tumor surveillance in models of spontaneous malignancy. Immunity. 2008;28(4):571–580. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2008.02.016. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Imai K, et al. Natural cytotoxic activity of peripheral-blood lymphocytes and cancer incidence: an 11-year follow-up study of a general population. Lancet. 2000;356(9244):1795–1799. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(00)03231-1. - DOI - PubMed
1. Lopez-Soto A, et al. Control of metastasis by NK Cells. Cancer Cell. 2017;32(2):135–154. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2017.06.009. - DOI - PubMed
1. Sakamoto N, et al. Phase I clinical trial of autologous NK cell therapy using novel expansion method in patients with advanced digestive cancer. J Transl Med. 2015;13:277. doi: 10.1186/s12967-015-0632-8. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Miller JS, et al. Successful adoptive transfer and in vivo expansion of human haploidentical NK cells in patients with cancer. Blood. 2005;105(8):3051–3057. doi: 10.1182/blood-2004-07-2974. - DOI - PubMed

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[1] Guerra N, et al. NKG2D-deficient mice are defective in tumor surveillance in models of spontaneous malignancy. Immunity. 2008;28(4):571–580. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2008.02.016. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Guerra N, et al. NKG2D-deficient mice are defective in tumor surveillance in models of spontaneous malignancy. Immunity. 2008;28(4):571–580. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2008.02.016. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Imai K, et al. Natural cytotoxic activity of peripheral-blood lymphocytes and cancer incidence: an 11-year follow-up study of a general population. Lancet. 2000;356(9244):1795–1799. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(00)03231-1. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Imai K, et al. Natural cytotoxic activity of peripheral-blood lymphocytes and cancer incidence: an 11-year follow-up study of a general population. Lancet. 2000;356(9244):1795–1799. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(00)03231-1. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Lopez-Soto A, et al. Control of metastasis by NK Cells. Cancer Cell. 2017;32(2):135–154. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2017.06.009. - DOI - PubMed

[6] Lopez-Soto A, et al. Control of metastasis by NK Cells. Cancer Cell. 2017;32(2):135–154. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2017.06.009. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Sakamoto N, et al. Phase I clinical trial of autologous NK cell therapy using novel expansion method in patients with advanced digestive cancer. J Transl Med. 2015;13:277. doi: 10.1186/s12967-015-0632-8. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Sakamoto N, et al. Phase I clinical trial of autologous NK cell therapy using novel expansion method in patients with advanced digestive cancer. J Transl Med. 2015;13:277. doi: 10.1186/s12967-015-0632-8. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Miller JS, et al. Successful adoptive transfer and in vivo expansion of human haploidentical NK cells in patients with cancer. Blood. 2005;105(8):3051–3057. doi: 10.1182/blood-2004-07-2974. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Miller JS, et al. Successful adoptive transfer and in vivo expansion of human haploidentical NK cells in patients with cancer. Blood. 2005;105(8):3051–3057. doi: 10.1182/blood-2004-07-2974. - DOI - PubMed

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

Affiliations

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

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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