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Updated: Jun 9, 2025
Advances in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Expressing Natural Killer Cells
Published on: February 14, 2025
CAR-NK cells for gastrointestinal cancer immunotherapy: from bench to bedside
Xingwang Zhu1, Jieyun Xue2, Hongzhou Jiang3
1Department of Urinary Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110032, P.R. China.
Background:
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers represent a significant health burden worldwide. Their incidence continues to increase, and their management remains a clinical challenge. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) natural killer (NK) cells have emerged as a promising alternative to CAR-T cells for immunotherapy of GI cancers. Notably, CAR-NK cells offer several advantages, including reduced risk of graft-versus-host disease, lower cytokine release syndrome, and the ability to target cancer cells through both CAR-dependent and natural cytotoxic mechanisms.
Main Body:
This review comprehensively discusses the development and applications of CAR-NK cells in the treatment of GI cancers. We explored various sources of NK cells, CAR design strategies, and the current state of CAR-NK cell therapy for GI cancers, highlighting recent preclinical and clinical trials. Additionally, we addressed existing challenges and propose potential strategies to enhance the efficacy and safety of CAR-NK cell therapy.
Conclusions:
Our findings highlight the potential of CAR-NK cells to revolutionize GI cancer treatment and pave the way for future clinical applications.
