All articles tagged with #natural killer cells
MIT scientists have developed a method to engineer natural killer (NK) cells directly inside the body using lipid nanoparticles carrying messenger RNA. In mouse trials, this approach successfully eliminated tumors in aggressive melanoma and T cell lymphoma models, as well as reversed autoimmune liver damage, potentially simplifying the production of cell therapies.
Chinese researchers have developed a new scalable and cost-effective method to produce engineered natural killer cells from cord blood stem cells, enhancing cancer immunotherapy potential by improving efficiency and reducing costs, with successful tumor-killing activity demonstrated in preclinical models.
Research indicates that anxiety and insomnia in young women are associated with reduced levels of natural killer cells, which are crucial for immune defense, potentially increasing vulnerability to illnesses and other health issues.
Long-term endurance exercise enhances the immune system in older adults by improving natural killer cell function, reducing inflammation, and promoting healthier aging, as shown by recent research.
Researchers from MIT and Harvard Medical School have developed engineered natural killer cells (CAR-NK) that can better target cancer cells, evade immune rejection, and reduce side effects, showing promising results in mice and lab tests, with potential for off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapy in humans.
Scientists have discovered that pre-treating natural killer cells with nicotinamide, a compound found in vitamin B3, enhances their ability to target and destroy cancer cells. In a preliminary study, this approach showed promise in inducing remissions in patients with hard-to-treat blood cancers. Nicotinamide not only boosts the activity and persistence of natural killer cells but also protects them from oxidative stress and enhances their ability to home in on lymph nodes. The combination of nicotinamide-enhanced natural killer cells and monoclonal antibody treatment was found to be safe and resulted in complete or partial responses in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Further research is needed to validate these findings in larger clinical trials.
Research from Maynooth University's Kathleen Londsdale Institute for Human Health Research has found that the popular obesity treatment drug, GLP-1, can restore the function of Natural Killer (NK) cells in the body, including their ability to kill cancerous cells. The restored cancer-killing effect of NK cells is independent of GLP-1's main weight loss function, suggesting that the treatment directly kick-starts the NK cells' engine. The World Health Organization estimates that 13% of the global adult population suffers from obesity, a disease linked with a higher risk of getting cancer.
Chinese scientists have discovered the importance of bumps on Natural Killer cells in identifying and destroying cancer cells. They have also found a way to restore the ability of some cells to detect and fight off tumors, providing new strategies to enhance immunotherapy treatments based on the immune system's natural killers.
A new study suggests that the milder symptoms of viral infections observed in females may be due to an epigenetic regulator called UTX, which enhances the function of specific anti-viral immune cells, referred to as natural killer (NK) cells. Female mice and humans possess an additional copy of the UTX gene, which allows them to fight viral infections more efficiently. The findings suggest that therapies involving immune responses need to move toward a precision medicine model that tailors treatments that take into account people’s individual differences, such as genetics, environment, and other factors that influence health and disease risk.