It may not seem like a leap that the body’s “natural killer cells” would be an effective weapon against cancer. “Killer” is in their name, after all.
But until recently, what was less obvious was how. Specifically, how the immune system targets cells that have been impacted by cancer.
First things first – what are natural killer cells? According to the Cleveland Clinic, natural killer cells (NK cells) are white blood cells “that destroy infected and diseased cells, like cancer cells.” NK cells are particularly helpful in fighting cancer in that they can destroy harmful cells in the early stages of the disease, preventing cancer cells from spreading.
Researchers at England’s University of Southampton working with a group of experts worldwide now say that NK cells “instinctively recognize and attack” a key protein, known as XPO1, that contributes to cancer growth.
The researchers say that by “hijacking” XPO1, they may be able to activate more killer cells to destroy cancer, potentially offering “new and less invasive forms of treatments.”
The team’s study, published in Science Advances, addresses the previously held belief that killer cells attack cancer cells at random. Their findings suggest otherwise.
“Our findings actually show how our body’s immune system recognizes and attacks these cancer cells,” said lead author and Southampton professor of hepatology, Salim Khakoo in a news release.
“Killer cells are an emerging form of immunotherapy that shows huge promise. They don’t attack healthy tissue in the way chemotherapy and other immunotherapies do, so are safer and have less side-effects than traditional forms of cancer treatment,” he said.
In the age of immunotherapy, these findings could have significant implications.
“We hope it could lead to personalized cancer treatment, especially in cases where traditional therapies have failed,” said co-author Professor Ralf Schittenhelm of Monash University in Australia.
“The potential to develop targeted therapies that utilize the body’s own immune system is incredibly exciting,” he said.
The scientific team at Southampton is now working to develop the world’s first cancer vaccine using natural killer cells.
