Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marisa Market, Gayashan Tennakoon, Marlena Scaffidi, David P. Cook, Leonard Angka, Juliana Ng, Christiano Tanese de Souza, Michael A. Kennedy, Barbara C. Vanderhyden, Rebecca C. Auer
Summary: Alterations in the TGF-β signaling pathway postoperatively contribute to NK cell dysfunction, characterized by decreased cytotoxicity and IFNγ production. This dysfunction may involve changes in both the canonical and mTOR pathways downstream of TGF-β.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Sho Sugawara, Cordelia Manickam, R. Keith Reeves
Summary: NK cells play a critical role in directly killing tumors and virus-infected cells, with signals from activating and inhibitory receptors regulating their functions. However, many pathogens and tumors can evade NK cell responses. In HIV/SIV infection, changes in subsets and signaling pathways of NK cells are observed.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marisa Market, Gayashan Tennakoon, Rebecca C. Auer
Summary: Surgical resection is essential for treating solid tumors, but the physiological stress and immune suppression following surgery can paradoxically promote cancer recurrence and metastasis. NK cells play a critical role in the formation of micrometastases immediately after surgery, highlighting the importance of strategies to prevent or reverse NK cell dysfunction in improving cancer outcomes post-surgery.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Theodora Katopodi, Savvas Petanidis, Charalampos Charalampidis, Ioanna Chatziprodromidou, Panagiotis Eskitzis, Drosos Tsavlis, Paul Zarogoulidis, Christoforos Kosmidis, Dimitris Matthaios, Konstantinos Porpodis
Summary: The tumor microenvironment, particularly the dendritic cells (DCs), plays a crucial role in tumor progression, metastasis, and immunosuppression. This review examines the function of tumor-infiltrating DCs in immune cell signaling pathways, treatment resistance, tumor recurrence, and immunosuppression. Special emphasis is given to DC metabolism, differentiation, and plasticity, as well as the interaction between myeloid cells and DCs in tumor-related immunosuppression. The article also discusses the molecular immune-related mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment that lead to reduced drug sensitivity and tumor relapse, and explores innovative approaches for therapeutic modulation of immunosuppressive DCs.
Article
Cell Biology
Vanessa Maria Knab, Dagmar Gotthardt, Klara Klein, Reinhard Grausenburger, Gerwin Heller, Ingeborg Menzl, Daniela Prinz, Jana Trifinopoulos, Julia List, Daniela Fux, Agnieszka Witalisz-Siepracka, Veronika Sexl
Summary: CDK8 plays a crucial role in TNBC tumors, leading to tumor regrowth and metastasis, and affecting immune-mediated clearance. CDK8 drives EMT in TNBC cells and influences the expression of PD-L1.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Azadeh Rahimi, Zahra Malakoutikhah, Ilnaz Rahimmanesh, Gordon A. Ferns, Reza Nedaeinia, Sayed Mohammad Matin Ishaghi, Nasim Dana, Shaghayegh Haghjooy Javanmard
Summary: This translation describes the importance of melanoma cell metastasis in patients and the role of NK cells in the immune system in combating melanoma and inhibiting metastasis. It also emphasizes the complex relationship between the melanoma tumor microenvironment and NK cells.
CANCER CELL INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lizhen He, Jianfu Zhao, Hongjun Li, Bin Xie, Ligeng Xu, Guanning Huang, Ting Liu, Zhen Gu, Tianfeng Chen
Summary: This study found that human serum albumin-encapsulated black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs@HSA) can effectively enhance the antitumor efficacy of NK cell immunotherapy derived from clinical patients. By activating the PI3K-Akt and mTOR signaling pathways, BPQDs@HSA reprograms NK cell metabolism, promotes cellular viability and immunity, and inhibits tumor immune escape. This research not only provides a successful strategy for nanomedicine-potentiated immune-cancer therapy, but also contributes to the understanding of the interface between nanomedicine and immune cell activation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Han Jiang, Hao Fu, Tao Min, Ping Hu, Jianlin Shi
Summary: This study proposes a mild magnetocaloric regulation approach using a magnetogenetic nanoplatform (MPFD) to promote the proliferation and activation of tumor-infiltrating NK cells in liver cancer immunotherapy. The magnetothermally responsive MPFD serves as a magnetism-heat nanotransducer to induce the gene transcription of IL-2 cytokine in orthotopic liver tumor for NK cell proliferation and activation.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Cristina Zalfa, Silke Paust
Summary: In the tumor microenvironment, myeloid-derived suppressor cells play a crucial role in regulating NK cell function, impacting the antitumor immune response. Strategies targeting MDSC-mediated immunosuppression can enhance the cytotoxic antitumor activity of NK cells.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Sainiteesh Maddineni, John L. Silberstein, John B. Sunwoo
Summary: This article reviews multiple approaches for allogeneic NK cell therapy and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each method. In recent years, NK cells have become increasingly important players in the immune response against cancer.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Xinyi Yang, Desheng Weng, Qiuzhong Pan, Tong Xiang, Chaopin Yang, Zhengrong Wu, Minxing Li, Songzuo Xie, Yan Tang, Jianchuan Xia, Jingjing Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the use of adjuvant cellular immunotherapy in post-mastectomy breast cancer patients. The results showed that patients treated with cellular immunotherapy had a higher overall survival rate compared to those who did not receive the treatment, particularly those who received NK cell immunotherapy. Subgroup analyses also indicated that adjuvant cellular immunotherapy significantly improved the overall survival of patients with triple-negative breast cancer and those aged over 50 years.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Jie Wu, Baojun He, Miao Miao, Xibin Han, Hongyan Dai, Heng Dou, Yanqiu Li, Xiaoqing Zhang, Guangchuan Wang
Summary: The study found that the biological macromolecule Nocardia rubra cell-wall skeleton (Nr-CWS) can suppress lung metastasis induced by B16F10 melanoma cells, possibly by promoting NK cell terminal differentiation and upregulating the production of cytokines and cytotoxic molecules.
PATHOLOGY & ONCOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Junqi Wang, Xiaolin Liu, Tianqiang Jin, Yuqing Cao, Yu Tian, Feng Xu
Summary: NK cells have potential in tumor immunotherapy, but their metabolism in the liver cancer microenvironment is not fully understood. The interaction between immune checkpoints and metabolic checkpoints in NK cells plays a role in their development and function. Understanding NK cell metabolic reprogramming is important for improving the efficacy of liver cancer therapy.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Saji Uthaman, Gabriel Cutshaw, Saman Ghazvini, Rizia Bardhan
Summary: This tutorial review summarizes the recent advances in using nanoparticles to label NK cells for immunoimaging or deliver treatment to activate NK cells and induce long-term immunity against tumors. The key properties of nanoparticles for overcoming challenges in NK cell-based diagnostics and therapeutics are discussed. The review concludes with an outlook on future directions in NP-NK cell hybrid interfaces and the need to address their overall clinical impact and patient response.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Eimear Mylod, Joanne Lysaght, Melissa J. Conroy
Summary: NK cell-based immunotherapies show promise in the treatment of obesity-associated cancers, but more research is needed. Dysfunctionality of NK cells in obesity-related cancer poses a challenge. CAR-NK cells offer potential as an effective immunotherapeutic approach, but further innovation is required to improve efficacy.
Article
Immunology
Marisa Market, Gayashan Tennakoon, Juliana Ng, Marlena Scaffidi, Christiano Tanese de Souza, Michael A. Kennedy, Rebecca C. Auer
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2020)
Editorial Material
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Leonard Angka, Marisa Market, Michele Ardolino, Rebecca C. Auer
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2020)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sarwat T. Khan, Joshua Montroy, Nicole Forbes, Donald Bastin, Michael A. Kennedy, Jean-Simon Diallo, Natasha Kekre, Dean A. Fergusson, Manoj Lalu, Rebecca C. Auer
Review
Immunology
Marisa Market, Leonard Angka, Andre B. Martel, Donald Bastin, Oladunni Olanubi, Gayashan Tennakoon, Dominique M. Boucher, Juliana Ng, Michele Ardolino, Rebecca C. Auer
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2020)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marisa Market, Gayashan Tennakoon, Rebecca C. Auer
Summary: Surgical resection is essential for treating solid tumors, but the physiological stress and immune suppression following surgery can paradoxically promote cancer recurrence and metastasis. NK cells play a critical role in the formation of micrometastases immediately after surgery, highlighting the importance of strategies to prevent or reverse NK cell dysfunction in improving cancer outcomes post-surgery.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Donald J. Bastin, Jennifer Quizi, Michael A. Kennedy, Natasha Kekre, Rebecca C. Auer
Summary: Autologous whole cell vaccines show potential and favorable safety profile in treating hematological cancers. However, manufacturing challenges hinder their efficacy and clinical implementation. This literature review defines the key issues in manufacturing autologous whole cell products and provides a summary of pre-clinical work on overcoming these challenges.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Leonard Angka, Christiano Tanese de Souza, Katherine E. Baxter, Sarwat T. Khan, Marisa Market, Andre B. Martel, Lee-Hwa Tai, Michael A. Kennedy, John C. Bell, Rebecca C. Auer
Summary: This study demonstrates that Sx-MDSCs regulate postoperative arginine levels, and restoring arginine imbalance through dietary intake significantly reduces surgery-induced metastases in preclinical murine models. The effects of perioperative arginine supplementation depend on NK cells.
Article
Oncology
Hagen F. Kennecke, Chris J. O'Callaghan, Jonathan M. Loree, Hussein Moloo, Rebecca Auer, Derek J. Jonker, Manoj Raval, Reilly Musselman, Grace Ma, Antonio Caycedo-Marulanda, Vlad V. Simianu, Sunil Patel, Lacey D. Pitre, Ramzi Helewa, Vallerie L. Gordon, Katerina Neumann, Halla Nimeiri, Max Sherry, Dongsheng Tu, Carl J. Brown
Summary: The purpose of this phase II trial was to evaluate the outcomes and organ-sparing rate of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by transanal excision surgery (TES) in patients with early-stage rectal cancer. The results showed that 57% of patients achieved organ preservation through transanal excision surgery after 3 months of chemotherapy, with minimal change in quality of life and rectal function scores. This study suggests that a 3-month induction chemotherapy can successfully downstage early-stage rectal cancer and allow for well-tolerated organ-preserving surgery.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Gayashan Tennakoon, Rebecca Auer
Summary: In this study, Haldar et al. demonstrated that laparotomy-induced surgical stress significantly increased post-operative metastatic burden in a mouse model of cancer. They found that this metastatic outbreak was driven by a novel mechanism of direct surgery-induced activation of the primary tumor, leading to the release of pro-metastatic factors (IL-6, IL-8, and VEGF). The study also revealed significant changes in the transcriptional programming of the primary tumor due to surgical stress, with activation of NF-cB and down-regulation of IRF-1. Pharmacological blockade of post-operative adrenergic and prostanoid signaling prevented the activation of the primary tumor and metastatic disease.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2023)