Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Advances in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Expressing Natural Killer Cells
11:08

Advances in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Expressing Natural Killer Cells

Published on: February 14, 2025

1.1K

Natural killer cell dysfunction in cancer and new strategies to utilize NK cell potential for cancer immunotherapy

Wanze Zhang1, Zhenghua Zhao1, Fan Li2

  • 1Department of Pathogenobiology, The Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Chinese, Ministry of Education, College of Basic Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.

Molecular Immunology
|February 24, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Cancer immunotherapy faces challenges from immune cell dysfunction within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Restoring natural killer (NK) cell function is a promising strategy to enhance anti-tumor immunity and improve patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Cancer Immunotherapy

Background:

  • Immune cell dysfunction, particularly in natural killer (NK) cells, is linked to cancer progression and poor prognosis.
  • The tumor microenvironment (TME) contains immunosuppressive factors that inhibit NK cell effector functions, promoting tumor growth and metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the characteristics of dysfunctional NK cells within the TME.
  • To discuss recent research advancements in understanding NK cell dysfunction.
  • To explore promising immunotherapy strategies for restoring NK cell anti-tumor potential.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of scientific publications on NK cell function and dysfunction in cancer.
  • Analysis of the role of the tumor microenvironment in modulating NK cell activity.
  • Synthesis of current research on strategies to enhance NK cell effector functions.

Main Results:

  • Dysfunctional NK cells exhibit reduced proliferation and effector cytokine production, limiting their anti-tumor efficacy.
  • Immunosuppressive factors in the TME are key drivers of NK cell dysfunction.
  • Restoring NK cell function represents a viable therapeutic avenue for cancer immunotherapy.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding NK cell dysfunction in the TME is crucial for developing effective cancer immunotherapies.
  • Targeting NK cell dysfunction can revitalize their anti-tumor potential in cancer patients.
  • Personalized strategies are needed to restore anti-tumor immunity by enhancing NK cell activity.
Keywords:
NK cell dysfunctioncancer immunotherapyimmune checkpoint inhibitorinhibitory receptortumor microenvironment

More Related Videos

Flow Cytometry-based Assay for the Monitoring of NK Cell Functions08:17

Flow Cytometry-based Assay for the Monitoring of NK Cell Functions

Published on: October 30, 2016

21.3K
Natural Killer NK and CAR-NK Cell Expansion Method using Membrane Bound-IL-21-Modified B Cell Line11:02

Natural Killer NK and CAR-NK Cell Expansion Method using Membrane Bound-IL-21-Modified B Cell Line

Published on: February 8, 2022

5.9K

Related Concept Videos

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
3.6K
Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
5.1K
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
708
Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:25

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
4.6K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.9K
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
5.1K