NK cell-based immunotherapies: awakening the innate anti-cancer response.
Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related death, as effective therapies remain an unsolved challenge in the clinical management of disseminated disease. Despite studies over the last decade reinforcing the role of the immune system in controlling cancer progression, our knowledge of immune control of cancer metastasis is still quite poor. Natural killer (NK) cells are a critical component of innate immunity and are able to recognize and trigger cell death in tumors by detecting receptor expression abnormalities in transformed cells. Recent studies and clinical trials have highlighted that manipulation of NK cell activation can be used as an immunotherapy in cancer. In this review, I provide an overview of potential immunotherapies that modulate NK cell responses against tumor metastases.
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne VIC 3010, Australia and Molecular Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
Fernando
F
Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes
D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity / Q000187:drug effects; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D000068878:Trastuzumab / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D018664:Interleukin-12; D020382:Interleukin-18; D007376:Interleukin-2; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000069283:Rituximab; D000068878:Trastuzumab; C000589760:IL18 protein, human; C508594:IL2 protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human