Umbilical cord blood natural killer cells improve anti-GD2 antibody efficacy in neuroblastoma: from mouse to human - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #NK cells
- #neuroblastoma
- #immunotherapy
- Anti-GD2 immunotherapy efficacy in neuroblastoma is enhanced by NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, but chemotherapy often depletes NK cells.
- Umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived NK cells show superior cytotoxicity, persistence, exhaustion resistance, and safety compared to patient-derived NK cells in preclinical and clinical settings.
- Combining UCB NK cells with anti-GD2 antibody synergistically improves functional status, persistence, and remodels the tumor microenvironment, leading to complete and partial responses in patients without increased toxicity.
- Anti-GD2 antibody induces a 'high activating-low inhibitory' phenotype in UCB NK cells, with lower immune checkpoint levels and higher memory-like markers observed.
- A phase I clinical trial (NCT06631391) is ongoing to evaluate UCB NK cell infusion combined with anti-GD2 therapy in children with high-risk, relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma.