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Marofi F, Al-Awad AS, Sulaiman Rahman H, Markov A, Abdelbasset WK, Ivanovna Enina Y, Mahmoodi M, Hassanzadeh A, Yazdanifar M, Stanley Chartrand M, Jarahian M. CAR-NK Cell: A New Paradigm in Tumor Immunotherapy. Front Oncol 2021; 11:673276. [PMID: 34178661 PMCID: PMC8223062 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.673276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is greatly multifaceted and immune escape is an imperative attribute of tumors fostering tumor progression and metastasis. Based on reports, the restricted achievement attained by T cell immunotherapy reflects the prominence of emerging other innovative immunotherapeutics, in particular, natural killer (NK) cells-based treatments. Human NK cells act as the foremost innate immune effector cells against tumors and are vastly heterogeneous in the TME. Currently, there exists a rapidly evolving interest in the progress of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered NK cells for tumor immunotherapy. CAR-NK cells superiorities over CAR-T cells in terms of better safety (e.g., absence or minimal cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), engaging various mechanisms for stimulating cytotoxic function, and high feasibility for 'off-the-shelf' manufacturing. These effector cells could be modified to target various antigens, improve proliferation and persistence in vivo, upturn infiltration into tumors, and defeat resistant TME, which in turn, result in a desired anti-tumor response. More importantly, CAR-NK cells represent antigen receptors against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), thereby redirecting the effector NK cells and supporting tumor-related immunosurveillance. In the current review, we focus on recent progress in the therapeutic competence of CAR-NK cells in solid tumors and offer a concise summary of the present hurdles affecting therapeutic outcomes of CAR-NK cell-based tumor immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faroogh Marofi
- Immunology Research Center (IRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Heshu Sulaiman Rahman
- College of Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
| | - Alexander Markov
- Tyumen State Medical University, Tyumen, Russia
- Tyumen Industrial University, Tyumen, Russia
| | - Walid Kamal Abdelbasset
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Physical Therapy, Kasr Al-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | | | - Mahnaz Mahmoodi
- Department of Biology, School of Basic Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Hassanzadeh
- Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahboubeh Yazdanifar
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | | | - Mostafa Jarahian
- German Cancer Research Center, Toxicology and Chemotherapy Unit (G401), Heidelberg, Germany
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Abstract
The presence of natural killer (NK) cells in the tumor microenvironment correlates with outcome in a variety of cancers. However, the role of intratumoral NK cells is unclear. Preclinical studies have shown that, while NK cells efficiently kill circulating tumor cells of almost any origin, they seem to have very little effect against the same type of tumor cells when these have extravasated. The ability to kill extravasated tumor cells is, however, is dependent of the level of activation of the NK cells, as more recent published and unpublished studies, discussed below, have demonstrated that interleukin-2-activated NK cells are able to attack well-established solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine K Larsen
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15213, USA; Department of Hematology, 54P4, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Yanhua Gao
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Per H Basse
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15213, USA; Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15213, USA
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Kmiecik J, Zimmer J, Chekenya M. Natural killer cells in intracranial neoplasms: presence and therapeutic efficacy against brain tumours. J Neurooncol 2014; 116:1-9. [PMID: 24085644 PMCID: PMC3889498 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-013-1265-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 09/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes that play an important role in anti-tumour immunity. Their potential against brain cancer has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo, both as a direct anti-tumour agent and in experimental therapies stimulating endogenous NK cell cytotoxicity. However, the clinical translation of these promising results requires detailed knowledge about the immune status of brain tumour patients, with focus on the NK cell population. In this report, we provide an overview of the studies investigating NK cell infiltration into the tumour, emphasizing the need of revision of the methodologies and further research in this field. We also discuss the potential of using autologous or allogeneic NK cells as effector cells in cellular therapy against brain cancer and developing immunotherapies stimulating endogenous NK cell-mediated anti-tumour response, such as blocking inhibitory killer immunoglobulin-like receptors. Combination of NK cell adoptive transfer with targeted therapies, such as anti-EGFR therapeutic antibody (CetuximAb) could also be a potent strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Kmiecik
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | - Jacques Zimmer
- Laboratoire d’Immunogénétique-Allergologie, CRP-Santé, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Martha Chekenya
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway
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