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Two Flow Cytometric Approaches of NKG2D Ligand Surface Detection to Distinguish Stem Cells from Bulk Subpopulations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
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Fusion Proteins of NKG2D/NKG2DL in Cancer Immunotherapy

Hui Ding1, Xi Yang2, Yanzhang Wei3

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, 190 Collings Street, Clemson, SC 29634, USA. ding4@clemson.edu.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|January 11, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Fusion proteins combining NKG2D (natural killer group 2, member D) and its ligands show promise for cancer immunotherapy by enhancing natural killer cell activity against tumors.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • NKG2D (natural killer group 2, member D) is a key activating receptor on NK cells and T cells.
  • NKG2D ligands (NKG2DLs) are frequently expressed on tumor cells, mediating target cell destruction upon engagement.
  • The NKG2D/NKG2DL axis presents a significant therapeutic target in cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in the development of NKG2D/NKG2DL-based fusion proteins for cancer immunotherapy.
  • To highlight the potential of these fusion proteins in enhancing anti-tumor immune responses.

Main Methods:

  • Review of literature on fusion proteins incorporating NKG2D or its ligands.
  • Analysis of strategies involving antibodies, cytokines, and death receptors fused to NKG2D/NKG2DL.
  • Examination of NKG2D-based chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) as a therapeutic modality.

Main Results:

  • NKG2D/NKG2DL-based fusion proteins are emerging as a promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy.
  • These fusion proteins can be engineered by combining NKG2D or its ligands with other immune-modulating molecules.
  • NKG2D-based CARs represent a significant development in this field.

Conclusions:

  • Fusion proteins utilizing the NKG2D/NKG2DL interaction offer a potent approach for cancer immunotherapy.
  • Further development of these multi-functional fusion proteins holds significant therapeutic potential against various cancers.
Keywords:
NKG2DNKG2D CARsNKG2D ligandscancer immunotherapyfusion protein

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