Cao TM, King MR. Supercharged eGFP-TRAIL Decorated NETs to Ensnare and Kill Disseminated Tumor Cells.
Cell Mol Bioeng 2020;
13:359-367. [PMID:
32952735 PMCID:
PMC7479081 DOI:
10.1007/s12195-020-00639-8]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background
NETosis is an innate immune response elicited by activated neutrophils to fight microbial infections. Activated neutrophils release DNA fibers decorated with anti-microbial proteins called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) into the extracellular space to trap and kill surrounding microbes.
Methods
Here, we show that tumor-derived IL-8 released by cancer cells also activates the release of NETs. Until now, there have been no existing technologies that leverage NETs as an anti-tumor drug delivery vehicle. In this study, we demonstrate the re-engineering of neutrophils to express an apoptosis-inducing chimeric protein, supercharged eGFP-TRAIL, on NETs that can ensnare and kill tumor cells while retaining their anti-microbial capabilities.
Results
We observed significant TRAIL-induced apoptosis in tumor cells captured by TRAIL-decorated NETs.
Conclusions
This work demonstrates NETs as a promising technology to deliver protein in response to local cytokine signals.
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