Combined NK Cell Therapy and Radiation Therapy Exhibit Long-Term Therapeutic and Antimetastatic Effects in a Human Triple Negative Breast Cancer Model.

Purpose: We investigated whether adoptive cell therapy with ex vivo-activated natural killer (NK) cells enhances the therapeutic efficacy of local tumor radiation therapy (RT) using a human triple-negative breast cancer xenograft model.

Methods And Materials: NK cells from healthy donors were expanded ex vivo. MDA-MB-231/Luc-GFP cells were subcutaneously implanted into the thighs of NSG mice.

Red blood cell extracellular vesicles as robust carriers of RNA-based therapeutics.

One of the major challenges of RNA-based therapeutics is the method for delivery of RNA molecules. In a recent article (Nat Commun 9(1):2359), we described a novel delivery platform for RNA-based drugs using red blood cell extracellular vesicles which can efficiently deliver both small and large RNAs to solid and liquid tumours. Our RBCEVs platform features exceptional merits over conventional RNA delivery methods in biosafety, biocompatibility, efficiency, accessibility, and cost effectiveness.

Irradiation of breast cancer cells enhances CXCL16 ligand expression and induces the migration of natural killer cells expressing the CXCR6 receptor.

Background Aims: Few studies have examined the migration pattern of natural killer (NK) cells, especially after radiation treatment for cancer. We investigated whether irradiation can modulate the expression of chemokines in cancer cells and the migration of NK cells to irradiated tumor cells.

Methods: The expression of chemokine receptors (CXCR3, CXCR4 and CXCR6) on interleukin-2 (IL-2)/IL-15-activated NK cells was assessed using flow cytometry.