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

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.

CAR T Therapies: Game Changer or Culprit in Cancer Treatment?‎

“…Another complication involves potential contamination of collected T-cells with malignant counterparts, heightening the risk of T cell malignancy (Stewart & Henden, 2021). In response to these challenges, strategies such as utilizing nanobody-derived CAR T cells, exploring allogeneic CAR T products, and integrating CAR natural killer (NK) cells aim to address these concerns and minimize the risks associated with fratricide and tumor contamination (Khawar et al, 2023b). Navigating the complexities of CAR T cell therapy and the disclosed risks underscores the importance of finding a balance between advancing therapeutic strategies, such as using specialized CAR T cells, and maintaining vigilant monitoring to minimize potential adverse outcomes.…”