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Related Concept Videos

Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

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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.
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Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

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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...
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The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

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Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
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Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

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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
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Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

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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...
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Cell-mediated Immune Responses01:40

Cell-mediated Immune Responses

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Reprogramming Antitumor Immunity: NK Cell Strategies to Navigate the Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment.

Tereza Kochs1, Pranay Nath1, Alice Chen1

  • 1Medical Oncology Department, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Natural killer (NK) cells offer a promising alternative to T cell therapies for cancer immunotherapy. This review explores how NK cells overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and discusses novel strategies for their application.

Keywords:
CAR‐NK cellscell therapyimmunotherapyin vivo gene editingnatural killer cellstumor immune escape

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Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Cell Therapy

Background:

  • Tumor immune escape, driven by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), hinders effective cancer immunotherapy by exhausting T cell responses.
  • Current T cell-based therapies face limitations due to the hostile TME, necessitating exploration of alternative effector cell platforms.
  • Natural Killer (NK) cells, innate lymphocytes with antigen-independent cytotoxic functions, present a viable alternative for next-generation cancer therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms by which the TME suppresses cytotoxic lymphocyte function.
  • To summarize NK cell biology relevant to overcoming TME-induced immunosuppression.
  • To critically evaluate current and emerging NK-based cancer immunotherapy strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on the cellular, molecular, and metabolic characteristics of the immunosuppressive TME.
  • Analysis of NK cell biology and its potential to circumvent TME-mediated immune suppression.
  • Evaluation of existing NK-based therapeutic strategies, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK cells, metabolic interventions, and trafficking modifications.

Main Results:

  • The TME employs various mechanisms to limit cytotoxic lymphocyte activity, including immune cell exhaustion and metabolic disruption.
  • NK cells possess intrinsic properties that enable them to function within the TME and overcome suppressive factors.
  • Engineered CAR-NK cells, alongside metabolic and trafficking enhancements, show significant potential for improved therapeutic efficacy.

Conclusions:

  • NK cells represent a powerful alternative effector platform for cancer immunotherapy, capable of overcoming TME-induced immune escape.
  • Emerging technologies, such as in vivo viral and mRNA/lipid nanoparticle platforms for CAR-NK generation, promise enhanced scalability and durability.
  • Further development of NK-based cell therapies holds great potential for advancing durable cancer treatment.