Cytokine-induced killer and Natural Killer cells (CIK/NK cells)

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells and Natural Killer (NK) cells are specialized immune effector cells used in adoptive immunotherapy to treat various malignancies. CIK cells are typically generated ex vivo from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by stimulation with interferon-gamma, anti-CD3 antibodies, and interleukin-2, resulting in a unique CD3+CD56+ phenotype that possesses both T-cell-like proliferation and NK-cell-like non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity (Schmeel et al., 2015, PMID: 25134418). NK cells are innate lymphocytes that recognize and kill tumor or virally infected cells through a balance of signals from activating receptors, such as NKG2D and Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors, and inhibitory receptors (Vivier et al., 2011, PMID: 21211777). The function and expansion of these cells are critically regulated by cytokine signaling pathways, particularly those involving IL-2 and IL-15, which enhance their survival and lytic potential (Waldmann, 2015, PMID: 25824306). While these cells are not a single molecular target, they are central to therapeutic strategies aimed at harnessing the immune system's innate ability to eliminate cancer cells. Current research focuses on improving their homing to tumor sites, increasing their persistence in vivo, and engineering them with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to enhance specificity.

Other names

CIK cellsNK cellsCytokine-induced killer cellsNatural Killer cellsCD3+CD56+ cellsNKG2D-mediated cytotoxicityCytokine-induced killer and NK cells via activating receptors and cytokine signaling

Adoptive immunotherapy and pharmacological activation of effector lymphocytes to induce non-MHC-restricted tumor cell lysis via activating receptors and cytokine-mediated signaling.