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Updated: May 20, 2026
Natural Killer (NK) and CAR-NK Cell Expansion Method using Membrane Bound-IL-21-Modified B Cell Line
Published on: February 8, 2022
Cryptotanshinone and tanshinone IIA enhance IL-15-induced natural killer cell differentiation
Won Sam Kim1, Dong Oh Kim, Sung Jin Yoon
1Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yoosunggu, Daejeon 305-600, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Natural killer (NK) cells are a subset of lymphocytes crucial for innate and adaptive immune responses. Here we show a stimulatory effect of cryptotanshinone (CTS) and tanshinone IIA (TS), isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, on the differentiation of NK cells. In the presence of IL-15, tanshinones increased NK cell maturation, NK cell differentiation and the expression of several transcription factors, including Id2, GATA3, T-bet, and Ets-1. Additionally, tanshinones increased p38 MAPK phosphorylation during NK cell differentiation. Furthermore, the p38 inhibitor SB203580 blocked the developmental effects of the tanshinones and suppressed Id2, T-bet, and Ets-1 expression during NK cell differentiation. These results suggest that tanshinones significantly increased IL-15-induced NK cell differentiation via enhancing the p38 phosphorylation and the expression of transcription factors.
