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Cancer treatment

Novel Strategy for Enhancing NK Cells-Based Immunotherapy in Cancer Treatment

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers at Xiamen University in China have introduced a novel nanomedicine, DBEP@alpha MV, which has shown promise in enhancing NK cell-based immunotherapy for cancer treatment. The study, published in the Journal of Chemical Engineering, aimed to develop a strategy for targeting post-treatment residual hepatocellular carcinoma. The research revealed that DBEP@alpha MV, a self-assembled nanomedicine, enhanced NK cell enrichment and cytotoxicity, and triggered mitochondrial apoptosis in tumor cells.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study introduced DBEP@alpha MV, a self-assembled nanomedicine encapsulated in bioengineered vesicles, as a novel strategy for enhancing NK cells-based immunotherapy.
  • DBEP contains a mitochondria-targeting two-photon photosensitizer and indomethacin, while alpha MV incorporates a CD47 blocker, MMP2-cleavable peptide, and VSV-G fusion protein.
  • Within the MMP2-rich tumor microenvironment, the nanomedicine releases the CD47 blocker, followed by intracellular disintegration after endocytosis.
  • The inhibition of CD47 and PGE2 enhanced NK cell enrichment and cytotoxicity, directly killing cancer cells.
  • Enriched NK cells recruit DCs and T cells, reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment.
  • The study concluded that this novel strategy offers a promising direction for cancer nano-immunotherapy.
  • Authors Yaohui He, Yubo Tan, Yibo An, Renyuan Liu, Xinyu Tan, Bo Li, Gang Liu, Zhixiang Lu, Yisheng Peng, Man Li, Dazhuang Xu, Peiyu Wang, and Ziying Wang contributed to the research.

Statistics:

  • 522: The journal volume in which the research was published.
  • Two-photon Phototherapy-mediated Activation of Natural Killer Cell Immunity for Targeted Elimination of Post-treatment Residual Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The title of the research article.
  • 1230: The page number of the news article reporting the research findings.
  • Xiamen University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State Key Lab Vaccines Infect Dis, Xiang Biomed Lab, Fujian Prov Key Lab Innovat Drug Target Res, Xiamen 361102, People's Republic of China: The affiliation of the lead author.
  • National Key Research & Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Xiamen Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Xiang'an Innovation Laboratory Science and Technology Project: The funders of the research.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. New Liver Cancer Study Findings Recently Were Reported by Researchers at Xiamen University (Two-photon Phototherapy-mediated Activation of Natural Killer Cell Immunity for Targeted Elimination of Post-treatment Residual Hepatocellular Carcinoma). Cancer Weekly. October 21, 2025; p 1230.
  • Two-photon Phototherapy-mediated Activation of Natural Killer Cell Immunity for Targeted Elimination of Post-treatment Residual Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2025;522.
  • Yaohui He, Yubo Tan, Yibo An, Renyuan Liu, Xinyu Tan, Bo Li, Gang Liu, Zhixiang Lu, Yisheng Peng, Man Li, Dazhuang Xu, Peiyu Wang, and Ziying Wang. "Two-photon Phototherapy-mediated Activation of Natural Killer Cell Immunity for Targeted Elimination of Post-treatment Residual Hepatocellular Carcinoma." Chemical Engineering Journal 522 (2025).

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