Natural Killer-Based Therapy: A Prospective Thought for Cancer Treatment Related to Diversified Drug Delivery Pathways

• Published in: Pharmaceutics Vol. 16; no. 7; p. 939
• Main Authors: Zang, Jing, Mei, Yijun, Zhu, Shiguo, Yin, Shaoping, Feng, Nianping, Ci, Tianyuan, Lyu, Yaqi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 14.07.2024
• Subjects: Adapter proteins; Antibodies; Antigens; Bone marrow; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Clinical medicine; Cytokines; Cytotoxicity; drug delivery system; Drug delivery systems; exosomes; Immunotherapy; Kinases; Ligands; Lymphatic system; Lymphocytes; NK cell activation; Radiation therapy; Side effects; tumor immunity; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; tumor immunity; drug delivery system; exosomes; NK cell activation
• ISSN: 1999-4923; 1999-4923
• DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16070939

Immunotherapy has been a research hotspot due to its low side effects, long-lasting efficacy, and wide anti-tumor spectrum. Recently, NK cell-based immunotherapy has gained broad attention for its unique immunological character of tumor identification and eradication and low risk of graft-versus-host disease and cytokine storm. With the cooperation of a drug delivery system (DDS), NK cells activate tumoricidal activity by adjusting the balance of the activating and inhibitory signals on their surface after drug-loaded DDS administration. Moreover, NK cells or NK-derived exosomes can also be applied as drug carriers for distinct modification to promote NK activation and exert anti-tumor effects. In this review, we first introduce the source and classification of NK cells and describe the common activating and inhibitory receptors on their surface. Then, we summarize the strategies for activating NK cells in vivo through various DDSs. Finally, the application prospects of NK cells in tumor immunotherapy are also discussed.