Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) treatment remains a big challenge due to the heterogeneous nature of the disease and its ability to progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The only curative option is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantatio...
Natural killer (NK) cells play a key role in antiviral innate defenses because of their abilities to kill infected cells and secrete regulatory cytokines. Additionally, NK cells exhibit adaptive memory-like antigen-specific responses, which represent...
Leukemia is a malignancy of the bone marrow and blood resulting from the abnormal differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). There are four main types of leukemia including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), ch...
Natural killer (NK) cells, which are an exciting alternative cell source for cancer immunotherapies, must sense and respond to their physical environment to traffic to and eliminate cancer cells. Herein, we review the mechanisms by which NK cells rec...
Invariant natural killer T cells (iNKTs), a type of unconventional T cells, share features with NK cells and have an invariant T cell receptor (TCR), which recognizes lipid antigens loaded on CD1d molecules, a major histocompatibility complex class I...
Endometriosis is a gynaecological disease defined by the growth of endometrium-like tissue outside the uterus. The disease is present in approximately 5–10% of women of reproductive age and causes pelvic pain and infertility. The pathophysiolog...
Memory is an incredible aspect of our immune system. Similarly to our cognitive memory, it allows us to remember and respond more efficiently to subsequent encounters with the same pathogens, making it possible to act on the information built by prev...
Among the polypeptides that comprise the T cell receptor (TCR), only CD3ζ is found in Natural Killer (NK) cells, where it transmits signals from activating receptors such as CD16 and NKp46. NK cells are potent immune cells that recognize target...
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are a form of immunotherapy that release tumor antigens in the context of highly immunogenic viral signals following tumor-targeted infection and destruction. Emerging preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that this in si...
This paper conducts a literature review on the role of natural killer cells in haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Theoretical concepts related to KIR genes are introduced regarding their structure, nomenclature, genetic organizat...
When facing an acute viral infection, our immune systems need to function with finite precision to enable the elimination of the pathogen, whilst protecting our bodies from immune-related damage. In many instances however this “perfect balance&...
Cell therapy is usually defined as the treatment or prevention of human disease by supplementation with cells that have been selected, manipulated, and pharmacologically treated or altered outside the body (ex vivo). Induced pluripotent stem cells (i...
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor and has a dismal overall survival rate. To date, no GBM therapy has yielded successful results in survival for patients beyond baseline surgical resection, radiati...
Innate cell engager (ICE®) constructs are bispecific tetravalent antibodies targeting specific tumor antigens and simultaneously engaging natural killer (NK) cell and macrophage receptors for the destruction of tumor cells. Pre-complexing of ICE&...
Interactions between natural killer (NK) cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) comprise a relevant but relatively understudied crosstalk relationship within the tumor microenvironment (TME). This review discusses the relevance of both natura...
In treatments of solid tumors, adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded natural killer (NK) cells has dawned as a new paradigm. Compared with cytotoxic T lymphocytes, NK cells take a unique position targeting tumor cells that evade the host immune surve...
Semaphorin-3E (Sema-3E) is a member of a large family of proteins originally identified as axon guidance cues in neural development. It is expressed in different cell types, such as immune cells, cancer cells, neural cells, and epithelial cells. Subs...
The interaction of natural killer (NK) and trophoblast cells underlies the formation of immune tolerance in the mother–fetus system and the maintenance of the physiological course of pregnancy. In addition, NK cells affect the function of troph...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still represents a significant complication of chronic liver disease, particularly when cirrhosis ensues. Current treatment options include surgery, loco-regional procedures and chemotherapy, according to specific clini...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently the third leading cause of malignancy-related mortalities worldwide. Natural killer (NK) cells are involved in the critical role of first line immunological defense against cancer development. Defects in NK...
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) is a potent immunosuppressive cytokine that inhibits the anti-tumor responses of NK cells and T cells. However, the stimulation of natural killer (NK) cells with pro-inflammatory cytokines decreases NK cell...
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection develops into chronic hepatitis in over two-thirds of acute infections. While current treatments with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) achieve HCV eradication in >95% of cases, no vaccine is available and re-infect...
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has high mortality rates, poor prognosis, and currently limited effective treatments. Natural killer (NK) cells from tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) show promise for cancer treatment due to their ability t...
The adrenal steroid hormones, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), are associated with the immune system in opposite actions. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cortisol and DHEAS serum concentrations, their rati...
Tumor cells harboring stem-like/cancer stem cell (CSC) properties have been identified and isolated from numerous hematological and solid malignancies. These stem-like tumor cells can persist following conventional cytoreductive therapies, such as ch...
Natural killer (NK) cells are key mediators of antitumor immunity; however, NK cell dysfunction in epithelial ovarian cancer should be considered not as a uniform defect, but rather as compartment-specific states that differ across the blood, ascites...
The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has largely been reported to cooperate on tumor onset and progression, as a consequence of the phenotype/functional plasticity and adaptation capabilities of tumor-infiltrating and tumor-associated immune cell...
Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKL) usually occurs in the nose or the nasopharynx, but extranasal and disseminated disease can occur. In this disease, orbital involvement is more commonly seen, but without nasal involvement is rare. A 61...
The immune system plays a crucial role to prevent local growth and dissemination of cancer. Therapies based on activating the immune system can result in beneficial responses in patients with metastatic disease. Treatment with antibodies targeting th...
In recent years, the use of natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy has shown promise against various cancer types. To some extent therapeutic potential of NK cell-based immunotherapy depends on migration of NK cells towards tumors in animal mod...
The most common cause of death in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who receive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is AML relapse. Therefore, additive therapies post allo-HSCT have significant potential to prevent...
The infusion of autograft immune effector cells directly impacts the clinical outcomes of patients treated with autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, suggesting the possibility of an autologous graft-versus tumor cells....
Natural Killer (NK) cells are granular lymphocytes of the innate immune system that are able to recognize and kill tumor cells without undergoing clonal selection. Discovered over 40 years ago, they have since been recognized to possess both cytotoxi...
Background: The main etiology of acute pancreatitis includes biliary origin and alcohol, although various other causes include drugs (i.e., L-asparaginase) or malignant tumors. Since accurate identification of etiologies is crucial for determining th...
Natural killer (NK) cells have immunosurveillance potential in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We performed adaptive immunotherapy using donor-liver-derived natural killer (NK) cells after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) to prevent HCC recu...
Invasive fungal disease (IFD) in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is associated with high morbidity and mortality. As the antifungal host response determines risk and outcome of IFD, there is growing interest in adoptive immunotherapy using T...
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is the primary arena where tumor cells and the host immune system interact. Bidirectional communication between tumor cells and the associated stromal cell types within the TME influences disease initiation and progre...
CD73, a cell-surface protein encoded by the gene NT5E, is overexpressed in glioblastoma (GBM), where it contributes to the tumor’s pathophysiology via the generation of immunosuppressive adenosine. Adenosinergic signaling, in turn, drives immun...
Numerous recent advancements in T-cell based immunotherapies have revolutionized the treatment of hematologic malignancies. In the race towards the first approved allogeneic cellular therapy product, there is growing interest in utilizing natural kil...
Tumor cell stemness stands out as a pivotal factor driving tumor recurrence or metastasis and significantly contributes to the mortality of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Recent research has unveiled a link between immune-active cells and the...
Natural Killer (NK) cell responses to HIV-infected CD4 T cells (iCD4) depend on the integration of signals received through inhibitory (iNKR) and activating NK receptors (aNKR). iCD4 activate NK cells to inhibit HIV replication. HIV infection-depende...
Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) overexpression in ovarian cancer (OVCA) disarms immune function, contributing to chemoresistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunoregulatory effects of pGSN expression on natural killer (NK) cell function in...
Natural killer (NK) cells represent a promising tool for cancer immunotherapy; however, their efficacy against solid tumors is severely limited by the hostile tumor microenvironment (TME). This review provides a comprehensive overview of the physical...
Invariant natural killer T cells (iNKTs) directly kill tumor cells and trans-activate the anti-tumor functions of dendritic cells (DC), natural killer (NK) cells, and T and B cells. As such, iNKTs serve as a powerful tool for use in cell-based cancer...
Natural Killer (NK) cells play a pivotal role in the immunosurveillance of Multiple Myeloma (MM), but it is still undefined whether the NK cell functional properties underlying their protective activity against MM are confined to distinct NK cell pop...
The resistance of breast cancer cells to therapeutic antibodies such as anti-HER2 trastuzumab can be overcome by engaging natural killer (NK) cells for killing antibody-binding tumor cells via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Here, we...
No validated biomarkers are available to monitor neoadjuvant treatment effects for breast cancer. Natural killer cell activity (NKA) has shown prognostic potential in other cancers. This study examined the association between NKA and treatment respon...
Dendritic cell (DC)-based cancer vaccines are a form of immunotherapy that activates the innate and adaptive immune systems to combat cancers. Neutrophils contribute to cancer biology and have the potential to be exploited by immunotherapeutic platfo...
Cancer is the second leading contributor to global deaths caused by non-communicable diseases. The cancer cells are known to interact with the surrounding non-cancerous cells, including the immune cells and stromal cells, within the tumor microenviro...
Surgical resection is the foundation for the curative treatment of solid tumors. However, metastatic recurrence due to the difficulty in eradicating micrometastases remain a feared outcome. Paradoxically, despite the beneficial effects of surgical re...
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