Natural killer-like cytotoxicity against tumor targets

"Natural killer-like cytotoxicity against tumor targets" is not the name of a specific molecule or receptor, but rather describes a **cellular function**—specifically, the ability of natural killer (NK) cells to recognize and kill tumor cells. NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity involves two main mechanisms: 1. **Granule exocytosis:** NK cells release lytic granules containing perforin and granzymes that induce apoptosis in target tumor cells[1][2][3]. 2. **Death receptor-mediated apoptosis:** NK cells express ligands such as Fas ligand (FasL) and TRAIL, which bind to corresponding receptors on target cells, triggering programmed cell death[1][2][3]. This process is central to immune defense against cancer and virally infected cells. It is not itself a druggable molecular target like a receptor or enzyme but rather an effector function carried out by immune effector cells[1][2]. Therefore, "natural killer-like cytotoxicity against tumor targets" should not be considered a canonical therapeutic target; instead, it refers to an important immunological mechanism leveraged in cancer immunotherapy strategies such as adoptive NK cell transfer or CAR-NK therapies[2][3].