Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
06:55
Measurement of Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity and Migration in the Context of Hepatic Tumor Cells
Published on: February 22, 2020
19.4K
Membrane-Anchored pH-Responsive DNA Nanodevice Enhances Natural-Killer-Cell Interaction Specificity toward Tumor
1Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China.
Nano Letters
|December 18, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a novel DNA nanodevice that improves natural killer (NK) cell therapy specificity. This tumor microenvironment-responsive tool enhances NK cell targeting of cancer cells by activating only in acidic tumor conditions.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Nanomedicine
- Immunotherapy
Background:
- Cellular interactions are vital for cell-based therapies but lack specificity.
- Targeting precision of natural killer (NK) cells against tumors is a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a nongenetic, tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive DNA nanodevice.
- To enhance the targeting specificity of NK cells against tumor cells.
Main Methods:
- Designed an amphiphilic DNA tetrahedral scaffold for NK-cell membrane anchoring.
- Incorporated a CD71-specific aptamer with a pH-sensitive DNA triplex for tumor targeting.
- Utilized the acidic TME to trigger nanodevice activation and aptamer conformation change.
Main Results:
- The nanodevice remained inactive at normal physiological pH, preventing off-target binding.
- In the acidic TME, the DNA triplex stabilized, enabling specific CD71 recognition.
- Demonstrated enhanced specificity of NK cells in recognizing and lysing tumor cells.
Conclusions:
- A TME-responsive DNA nanodevice can significantly improve NK cell therapy specificity.
- This strategy offers a promising approach for precise tumor targeting in cancer immunotherapy.
- Nongenetic nanodevices provide a versatile platform for enhancing cell-based therapies.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
6.4K
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...
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...
6.4K
01:28Cells of the Innate Immune Response
8.5K
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...
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...
8.5K
01:25Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes
7.8K
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...
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
7.8K
01:29Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens
1.6K
The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
1.6K
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
8.6K
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...
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
8.6K