Harnessing natural killer cell effector function against cancer

Abstract

Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic innate lymphoid cells that participate in anti-tumour and anti-viral immune responses. Their ability to rapidly destroy abnormal cells and to enhance the anti-cancer function of dendritic cells, CD8+ T cells, and macrophages makes them an attractive target for immunotherapeutic strategies. The development of approaches that augment NK-cell activation against cancer is currently under intense preclinical and clinical research and strategies include chimeric antigen receptor NK cells, NK-cell engagers, cytokines, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we highlight recent advances in NK-cell therapeutic development and discuss their potential to add to our armamentarium against cancer.