Breaking down barriers: The potential of smarter CAR-engineered NK cells against solid tumors

J Cell Biochem. 2023 Aug;124(8):1082-1104. doi: 10.1002/jcb.30460. Epub 2023 Aug 11.

Abstract

Natural killer (NK) cells are considered to be the foremost fighters of our innate immune system against foreign invaders and thus tend to promptly latch onto the virus-infected and tumor/cancerous cells, killing them through phagocytosis. At present, the application of genetically engineered Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) receptors ensures a guaranteed optimistic response with NK cells and would not allow the affected cells to dodge or escape unchecked. Hence the specificity and uniqueness of CAR-NK cells over CAR-T therapy make them a better immunotherapeutic choice to reduce the load of trafficking of numerous tumor cells near the healthy cell populations in a more intact way than offered by CAR-T immunotherapy. Our review mainly focuses on the preclinical, clinical, and recent advances in clinical research trials and further strategies to achieve an augmented and efficient cure against solid tumors.

Keywords: CAR-NK cell immunotherapy; preclinical and clinical studies; preference over CAR-T immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive
  • Killer Cells, Natural
  • Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen* / genetics

Substances

  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen