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Chapter 101 Natural Killer Cell–Based Therapies 1581
being tested by use of NK cell donor lymphocyte infusions after working to establish proof of concept and to develop exportable
haploidentical HCT in adults with AML. A published study in techniques. Development of platforms that support robust in vivo or
pediatric patients used NK cells as consolidation therapy to maintain ex vivo NK cell expansion and education, selection of NK donors
remissions in a nontransplant setting. This platform is being adapted based on their NK cell receptor genes, manipulation of tumor NK
for testing in elderly AML patients. Additional studies to explore cell receptor ligand expression, and coordination of NK cell interac-
applications in multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and solid tumors are tions with other immune cells are underway at many institutions.
being developed. Ultimately, combination therapy using several strategies will likely
prove most successful. In particular, cytokines such as IL-15, antibod-
ies to block inhibitory receptors, methods to induce adaptive NK
FUTURE DIRECTIONS cells with properties of immune memory, and the use of BiKEs or
TriKEs to make NK cells antigen-specific hold great promise.
Several promising strategies to exploit NK cell alloreactivity to treat
cancer are in development. These include various approaches to
develop in vivo or ex vivo expanded products, manipulations of the REFERENCES
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