Natural killer cells in the human lung tumor microenvironment display immune inhibitory functions (original) (raw)
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OncoImmunology
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate effector lymphocytes widely involved in cancer immunosurveillance. In this study, we described three circulating NK cell subsets in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Compared to healthy donors (HD), lower rate of the cytotoxic CD56 dim CD16 + NK cells was found in NSCLC patients (76.1% vs 82.4%, P = 0.0041). In contrast, the rate of CD56 bright NK cells was similar between patients and HD. We showed in NSCLC patients a higher rate of a NK cell subset with CD56 dim CD16 − phenotype (16.7% vs 9.9% P = 0.0001). The degranulation property and cytokines production were mainly drive by CD56 dim CD16 − NK cell subset in patients. Analysis of natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs) expression identified four distinct clusters of patients with distinct NK cell subset profiles as compared to one major cluster in HD. Notably the cluster characterized by a low circulating level of NKp46 + NK cell subsets was absent in HD. We showed that the rate of circulating NKp46 + CD56 dim CD16 + NK cells influenced the patients' survival. Indeed, the median overall survival in patients exhibiting high versus low level of this NK cell subset was 16 and 27 months respectively (P = 0.02). Finally, we demonstrated that blocking NKp46 receptor in vitro was able to restore spontaneous tumor specific T cell responses in NSCLC patients. In conclusion, this study showed a distinct distribution and phenotype of circulating NK cell subsets in NSCLC. It also supports the regulatory role of NKp46 + NK cell subset in NSCLC patients.
PLOS ONE
An emerging cellular immunotherapy for cancer is based on the cytolytic activity of natural killer (NK) cells against a wide range of tumors. Although in vitro activation, or "priming," of NK cells by exposure to pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-2, has been extensively studied, the biological consequences of NK cell activation in response to target cell interactions have not been thoroughly characterized. We investigated the consequences of co-incubation with K562, CTV-1, Daudi RPMI-8226, and MCF-7 tumor cell lines on the phenotype, cytokine expression profile, and transcriptome of human NK cells. We observe the downregulation of several activation receptors including CD16, CD62L, C-X-C chemokine receptor (CXCR)-4, natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D), DNAX accessory molecule (DNAM)-1, and NKp46 following tumor-priming. Although this NK cell phenotype is typically associated with NK cell dysfunction in cancer, we reveal the upregulation of NK cell activation markers, such as CD69 and CD25; secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIP-1) α /β and IL-1β/6/8; and overexpression of numerous genes associated with enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity and immunomodulatory functions, such as FAS, TNFSF10, MAPK11, TNF, and IFNG. Thus, it appears that tumor-mediated ligation of receptors on NK cells may induce a primed state which may or may not lead to full triggering of the lytic or cytokine secreting machinery. Key signaling molecules exclusively affected by tumor-priming include MAP2K3, MARCKSL1, STAT5A, and TNFAIP3, which are specifically associated with NK cell cytotoxicity against tumor targets. Collectively, these findings help define the phenotypic and transcriptional signature of NK cells following their encounters with tumor cells, independent of cytokine stimulation, and provide insight into tumor-specific NK cell responses to inform the transition toward harnessing the therapeutic potential of NK cells in cancer.
2022
NK cells are the predominant innate lymphocyte subset that contribute to anti-tumor immunity. The molecular profile of human tumor-infiltrating NK cells, and particularly, their characteristics in relation to CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) density within tumors is poorly understood. Here, we performed single-cell and bulk transcriptomic analysis of NK cells within tumor and adjacent normal lung tissue from patients with treatment-naïve lung cancer. We found divergent NK cell subsets with distinct functional features that were associated with the magnitude of CD8+ CTL response in tumors. CD16pos NK cells present in tumors with high density of CD8+ CTLs were enriched for transcripts linked to cytotoxicity, pro-inflammatory chemokines and effector function. CD16neg NK cells predominantly infiltrated tumors relative to lung tissue and harbored sub-populations with unique gene expression programs. Notably, tumors with high density of CD8+ CTLs were enriched for a CD16neg NK cell subse...
Cancer, 2008
BACKGROUND. Despite natural killer (NK) cells being originally identified and named because of their ability to kill tumor cells in vitro, only limited information is available on NK cells infiltrating malignant tumors, especially in humans. METHODS. NK cells infiltrating human nonsmall cell lung cancers (NSCLC) were analyzed with the aim of identifying their potential protective role in an antitumor immune response. Both relevant molecule expression and functions of NK cells infiltrating NSCLC were analyzed in comparison with autologous NK cells isolated from either peritumoral normal lung tissues or peripheral blood. RESULTS. The CD56 bright CD16 2 NK cell subset was consistently observed as being highly enriched in tumor infiltrate and displayed activation markers, including NKp44, CD69, and HLA-DR. Remarkably, the cytolytic potential of NK cells isolated from cancer tissues was lower than that of NK cells from peripheral blood or normal lung tissue, whereas no difference was observed regarding their capability of producing cytokines. With regard to their localization within tumor, NK cells were found in tumor stroma, whereas they were not in direct contact with cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS. For the first time NK cells infiltrating NSCLC have been characterized and it is shown that they are mainly capable of producing relevant cytokines rather than exerting direct cancer cell killing.
Role of Distinct Natural Killer Cell Subsets in Anticancer Response
Frontiers in immunology, 2017
Natural killer (NK) cells, the prototypic member of innate lymphoid cells, are important effectors of anticancer immune response. These cells can survey and control tumor initiation due to their capability to recognize and kill malignant cells and to regulate the adaptive immune response via cytokines and chemokines release. However, several studies have shown that tumor-infiltrating NK cells associated with advanced disease can have profound functional defects and display protumor activity. This evidence indicates that NK cell behavior undergoes crucial alterations during cancer progression. Moreover, a further level of complexity is due to the extensive heterogeneity and plasticity of these lymphocytes, implying that different NK cell subsets, endowed with specific phenotypic and functional features, may be involved and play distinct roles in the tumor context. Accordingly, many studies reported the enrichment of selective NK cell subsets within tumor tissue, whereas the underlyin...
Natural Killer Cells: Tumor Surveillance and Signaling
Cancers
Natural killer (NK) cells play a pivotal role in cancer immunotherapy due to their innate ability to detect and kill tumorigenic cells. The decision to kill is determined by the expression of a myriad of activating and inhibitory receptors on the NK cell surface. Cell-to-cell engagement results in either self-tolerance or a cytotoxic response, governed by a fine balance between the signaling cascades downstream of the activating and inhibitory receptors. To evade a cytotoxic immune response, tumor cells can modulate the surface expression of receptor ligands and additionally, alter the conditions in the tumor microenvironment (TME), tilting the scales toward a suppressed cytotoxic NK response. To fully harness the killing power of NK cells for clinical benefit, we need to understand what defines the threshold for activation and what is required to break tolerance. This review will focus on the intracellular signaling pathways activated or suppressed in NK cells and the roles signali...
Natural Killer Cell and its Potential Therapeutic Role in Cancer: A Review
Natural Killer cells are classically considered as innate immune effectors cells involved in the first line of defense against infected and malignant cells. More recently, NK cells have emerged to acquire properties of adaptive immunity in response to certain viral infections such as expansion of specific NK cell subsets and long-lasting virus-specific responses to secondary challenges. Natural killer cells distinguish healthy cells from abnormal cells by measuring the net input of activating and inhibitory signals perceived from target cells through NK cell surface receptors. Acquisition of activating ligands in combination with reduced expression of MHC class I molecules on virus-infected and cancer cells activates NK cell cytotoxicity and release of immune stimulatory cytokines like IFN. In the cancer microenvironment however, NK cells become functionally impaired by inhibitory factors produced by immunosuppressive immune cells and cancer cells. Here summarized recent progress on the role of NK cells in cancer treatment. Describe regulatory factors of the tumor microenvironment on NK cell function which determine cancer cell destruction or escape from immune recognition. Finally, recent strategies that focus on exploiting NK cell anti-cancer responses for immunotherapeutic approaches are reviewed.