Natural Killer Cell Inspired AIE Nanoterminator for Blood-Brain-Barrier Crossing via Tight-Junction Modulation and NIR-II Gliomas Theranostics

Author(s):  
Guanjun Deng ◽  
Xinghua Peng ◽  
Zhihong Sun ◽  
Wei Zheng ◽  
Jia Yu ◽  
...  

Nature has always inspired robotic designs and concepts. It is conceivable that biomimic nanorobots will soon play a prominent role in medicine. In this paper, we developed a natural killer cell-mimic AIE nanoterminator (NK@AIEdots) by coating natural kill cell membrane on the AIE-active polymeric endoskeleton, PBPTV, a highly bright NIR-II AIE-active conjugated polymer. Owning to the AIE and soft-matter characteristics of PBPTV, as-prepared nanoterminator maintained the superior NIR-II brightness (quantum yield ~8%) and good biocompatibility. Besides, they could serve as tight junctions (TJs) modulator to trigger an intracellular signaling cascade, causing TJs disruption and actin cytoskeleton reorganization to form intercellular “green channel” to help themselves crossing Blood-Brain Barriers (BBB) silently. Furthermore, they could initiatively accumulate to glioblastoma cells in the complex brain matrix for high-contrast and through-skull tumor imaging. The tumor growth was also greatly inhibited by these nanoterminator under the NIR light illumination. As far as we known, The QY of PBPTV is the highest among the existing NIR-II luminescent conjugated polymers. Besides, the NK-cell biomimetic nanorobots will open new avenue for BBB-crossing delivery.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guanjun Deng ◽  
Xinghua Peng ◽  
Zhihong Sun ◽  
Wei Zheng ◽  
Jia Yu ◽  
...  

Nature has always inspired robotic designs and concepts. It is conceivable that biomimic nanorobots will soon play a prominent role in medicine. In this paper, we developed a natural killer cell-mimic AIE nanoterminator (NK@AIEdots) by coating natural kill cell membrane on the AIE-active polymeric endoskeleton, PBPTV, a highly bright NIR-II AIE-active conjugated polymer. Owning to the AIE and soft-matter characteristics of PBPTV, as-prepared nanoterminator maintained the superior NIR-II brightness (quantum yield ~8%) and good biocompatibility. Besides, they could serve as tight junctions (TJs) modulator to trigger an intracellular signaling cascade, causing TJs disruption and actin cytoskeleton reorganization to form intercellular “green channel” to help themselves crossing Blood-Brain Barriers (BBB) silently. Furthermore, they could initiatively accumulate to glioblastoma cells in the complex brain matrix for high-contrast and through-skull tumor imaging. The tumor growth was also greatly inhibited by these nanoterminator under the NIR light illumination. As far as we known, The QY of PBPTV is the highest among the existing NIR-II luminescent conjugated polymers. Besides, the NK-cell biomimetic nanorobots will open new avenue for BBB-crossing delivery.


Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 135 (9) ◽  
pp. 629-637
Author(s):  
Michael T. Lam ◽  
Emily M. Mace ◽  
Jordan S. Orange

Abstract Natural killer cell deficiencies (NKDs) are an emerging phenotypic subtype of primary immune deficiency. NK cells provide a defense against virally infected cells using a variety of cytotoxic mechanisms, and patients who have defective NK cell development or function can present with atypical, recurrent, or severe herpesviral infections. The current pipeline for investigating NKDs involves the acquisition and clinical assessment of patients with a suspected NKD followed by subsequent in silico, in vitro, and in vivo laboratory research. Evaluation involves initially quantifying NK cells and measuring NK cell cytotoxicity and expression of certain NK cell receptors involved in NK cell development and function. Subsequent studies using genomic methods to identify the potential causative variant are conducted along with variant impact testing to make genotype-phenotype connections. Identification of novel genes contributing to the NKD phenotype can also be facilitated by applying the expanding knowledge of NK cell biology. In this review, we discuss how NKDs that affect NK cell cytotoxicity can be approached in the clinic and laboratory for the discovery of novel gene variants.


1997 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 1492-1498 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Klokker ◽  
N. H. Secher ◽  
P. Madsen ◽  
M. Pedersen ◽  
B. K. Pedersen

Klokker, M., N. H. Secher, P. Madsen, M. Pedersen, and B. K. Pedersen. Adrenergic β1- and β1+2-receptor blockade suppress the natural killer cell response to head-up tilt in humans. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(5): 1492–1498, 1997.—To evaluate stress-induced changes in blood leukocytes with emphasis on the natural killer (NK) cells, eight male volunteers were followed during three trials of head-up tilt with adrenergic β1- (metoprolol) and β1+2- (propranolol) blockade and with saline (control) infusions. The β1- and β1+2-receptor blockade did not affect the appearance of presyncopal symptoms, but the head-up tilt induced a transient lymphocytosis that was abolished by β1+2-receptor blockade but not by β1-receptor blockade. Head-up tilt also resulted in delayed neutrophilia, which was insensitive to β-receptor blockade. Lymphocyte subset analysis revealed that the head-up tilt resulted in a twofold increase in the percentage and absolute number of CD3−/CD16+and CD3−/CD56+NK cells in peripheral blood and that this increase was partially blocked by metoprolol and abolished by propranolol. The NK cell activity on a per NK cell basis did not change during head-up tilt, indicating that the cytotoxic capability of NK cells recruited to circulation is unchanged. The data suggest that the head-up tilt-induced lymphocytosis was due mainly to CD16+and CD56+NK cells and that their recruitment to the blood was inhibited by β1- and especially β1+2-receptor blockade. Thus stress-induced recruitment of lymphocytes, and of NK cells in particular, is mediated by epinephrine through activation of β-receptors on the lymphocytes.


1998 ◽  
Vol 275 (6) ◽  
pp. R1725-R1734 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Gannon ◽  
S. G. Rhind ◽  
M. Suzui ◽  
J. Zamecnik ◽  
B. H. Sabiston ◽  
...  

This study was designed to test whether a single 50-mg dose of the opioid antagonist naltrexone hydrochloride, ingested 60 min before 2 h of moderate-intensity exercise (i.e., 65% peak O2consumption), influenced the exercise-induced augmentation of peripheral blood natural killer cell cytolytic activity (NKCA). Ten healthy male subjects were tested on four occasions separated by intervals of at least 14 days. A rested-state control trial was followed by three double-blind exercise trials [placebo (P), naltrexone (N), and indomethacin] arranged according to a random block design. The indomethacin exercise trial is discussed elsewhere (S. G. Rhind, G. A. Gannon, P. N. Shek, and R. J. Shepherd. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 30: S20, 1998). For both the P and N trials, plasma levels of β-endorphin were increased ( P < 0.05) at 90 and 120 min of exercise but returned to resting (preexercise) levels 2 h postexercise. CD3−CD16+CD56+NK cell counts and NKCA were significantly ( P < 0.05) elevated at each 30-min interval of exercise compared with correspondingly timed resting control values. However, there were no differences in NK cell counts or NKCA between P and N trials at any time point during the two trials. Changes in NKCA reflected mainly changes in NK cell count ( r = 0.72; P < 0.001). The results do not support the hypothesis that the enhancement of NKCA during prolonged submaximal aerobic exercise is mediated by β-endorphin.


Blood ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 260-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
KF Mangan ◽  
ME Hartnett ◽  
SA Matis ◽  
A Winkelstein ◽  
T Abo

Abstract To determine the role of natural killer (NK) cells in the regulation of human erythropoiesis, we studied the effects of NK-enriched cell populations on the in vitro proliferation of erythroid stem cells at three different levels of maturation (day 14 blood BFU-E, day 5–6 marrow CFU-E, and day 10–12 marrow BFU-E). NK cells were enriched from blood by Percoll density gradient centrifugation and by fluorescence- activated cell sorting (FACS), using the human natural killer cell monoclonal antibody, HNK-1. The isolated enriched fractions were cocultured with autologous nonadherent marrow cells or blood null cells and erythropoietin in a methylcellulose erythroid culture system. Cells from low-density Percoll fractions (NK-enriched cells) were predominantly large granular lymphocytes with cytotoxic activity against K562 targets 6–10-fold greater than cells obtained from high- density Percoll fractions (NK-depleted cells). In coculture with marrow nonadherent cells (NA) at NK:NA ratios of 2:1, NK-enriched cells suppressed day 5–6 CFU-E to 62% (p less than 0.025) of controls, whereas NK-depleted cells slightly augmented CFU-E to 130% of controls (p greater than 0.05). In contrast, no suppression of day 10–12 marrow BFU-E was observed employing NK-enriched cells. The NK CFU-E suppressor effects were abolished by complement-mediated lysis of NK-enriched cells with the natural killer cell antibody, HNK-1. Highly purified HNK- 1+ cells separated by FACS suppressed marrow CFU-E to 34% (p less than 0.025) and marrow BFU-E to 41% (p less than 0.025) of controls. HNK- cells had no significant effect on either BFU-E or CFU-E growth. NK- enriched cells were poor stimulators of day 14 blood BFU-E in comparison to equal numbers of NK-depleted cells or T cells isolated by E-rosetting (p less than 0.01). Interferon boosting of NK-enriched cells abolished their suboptimal burst-promoting effects and augmented their CFU-E suppressor effects. These studies provide evidence for a potential regulatory role of NK cells in erythropoiesis. The NK suppressor effect is maximal at the level of the mature erythroid stem cell CFU-E. These findings may explain some hypoproliferative anemias that develop in certain NK cell-activated states.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 690-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph S. Palumbo ◽  
Kathryn E. Talmage ◽  
Jessica V. Massari ◽  
Christine M. La Jeunesse ◽  
Matthew J. Flick ◽  
...  

Abstract A linkage between hemostatic system components and tumor cell metastatic potential has been well established, but the underlying mechanism(s) by which various circulating and cell-associated coagulation factors and platelets promote tumor cell dissemination remains to be fully defined. One potential mechanism by which tumor cell-associated microthrombi might enhance metastatic potential is by interfering with the cytolytic elimination of tumor cell emboli by natural killer (NK) cells. In order to explore this hypothesis, we studied tumor dissemination in mice lacking either fibrinogen or Gαq, a G protein critical for platelet activation. Comparative studies of experimental lung metastasis in control and Gαq−/− mice showed that loss of platelet activation resulted in a two-orders-of-magnitude decrease in pulmonary metastatic foci formed by either Lewis lung carcinoma or B16 melanoma. The difference in metastatic success was not the result of differences in tumor growth rate, as tumors transplanted into the dorsal subcutis of Gαq−/− and wildtype animals grew at similar rates. Rather, tumor cell fate analyses using radiolabeled tumor cells showed that the survival of tumor cells within the lung was significantly improved in mice that retained platelet activation function relative to Gαq−/− mice with a profound platelet activation defect. In order to examine the potential interplay between platelet activation and natural killer cell function, we compared pulmonary tumor cell survival in cohorts of control and Gαq−/− mice immuno-depleted of NK cells with an anti-asialo GM1 antibody. Remarkably, platelet function was no longer a determinant of metastatic potential in mice lacking NK cells. Given that fibrin(ogen) is also an established determinant of metastatic success we explored whether the influence of this key hemostatic factor on tumor cell dissemination was also mechanistically-coupled to natural killer cell function. We interbred fibrinogen-deficient mice with Gz-Ly49A transgenic mice known to have a constitutive deficit in NK cells. In those cohorts of mice with normal NK cells, we affirmed the earlier finding that fibrinogen deficiency resulted in a significant diminution in metastatic potential. However, consistent with our findings in mice with defective platelet activation, fibrinogen was found to no longer be a determinant of metastatic potential in mice lacking NK cells. These data establish another important link between innate immune surveillance and the hemostatic system. Further, it appears that at least one mechanism by which tumor cell-associated microthrombi increase metastatic potential is by restricting NK cell-mediated tumor cell elimination. Given that NK cell cytotoxicity requires direct contact with any target cell, one attractive model presently being explored is that tumor cell-associated platelets physically block NK cell access to tumor cell emboli.


Blood ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 1374-1383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjiro Tsuchiyama ◽  
Tadashi Yoshino ◽  
Masaharu Mori ◽  
Eisaku Kondoh ◽  
Takeshi Oka ◽  
...  

A novel cell line was established from a patient with a leukemic-state nasal angiocentric natural killer (NK) cell lymphoma with systemic skin infiltration. The morphology of the leukemic cells was large-granular-lymphocyte (LGL), and their immunophenotype was CD2+, CD3−, CD5+, CD7+, CD16−, CD56+, and CD57−. The presence of Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) genome was shown in specimens from the patient’s nose, skin, and peripheral blood by in situ hybridization using an EBV-encoded small RNA-1 probe or by Southern blotting using a terminal-repeat probe of the EBV genome. Leukemic cells were cocultured with a mouse stromal cell line (SPY3-2) in the presence of 100 U/mL recombinant human interleukin-2 and a novel stromal cell-independent cell line, NK-YS, was established. The NK-YS cells showed LGL morphology and expressed surface CD2, CD5, CD7, CD25, CD56, and CD95. The NK-YS cells retained cytotoxicity against K562 and Jurkat cells. A Southern blotting using a terminal-repeat probe of EBV showed that NK-YS and fresh leukemic cells had a clonal EBV genome, whereas the T-cell receptor β and γ chain genes of NK-YS were not rearranged. In an immunocytochemical analysis, the NK-YS cells showed a type-II latent infection of EBV. The NK-YS cells preserved the original characteristics of NK cell lymphoma/leukemia and will be a useful tool for the study of biological characteristics of EBV-associated nasal angiocentric NK cell lymphoma/leukemia. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.


1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Campbell ◽  
Nachman Brautbar ◽  
Aristo Vojdani

We have previously shown that natural killer (NK) cell activity is significantly suppressed in patients with silicone breast implants. These patients were symptomatic and the suppression of natural killer cell activity was associated with additional significant immunological abnormalities (Vojdani et al, 1992a). Our studies have recently been confirmed by Smith et al. (1994), who described natural killer cell activity suppression following exposure to silicone gel, and reversal upon removal of the gel. This study has been designed to evaluate natural killer cell activities in symptomatic women with silicone breast implants and again after explantation of the implants. Each patient served as her own control. Our findings show a marked significant increase in previously suppressed natural killer cell activity in 50% of the patients. In the other 50%, no change or suppressed NK activity was observed. These findings are compatible with recent studies in experimental animals, which show that administration of silicone reduces natural killer cell activity, and that this is reversible upon removal of the silicone. Since NK cells are important in the control of tumor cell growth, we propose here that patients with reduced NK cell activity are at a higher risk of developing cancer, a concept recently described in experimental animals (Potter et al., 1994; Salhon et al, 1994).


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph S. Palumbo ◽  
Kathryn E. Talmage ◽  
Jessica V. Massari ◽  
Christine M. La Jeunesse ◽  
Matthew J. Flick ◽  
...  

Tumor cell–associated tissue factor (TF) is a powerful determinant of metastatic potential. TF may increase metastasis by supporting thrombin-mediated proteolysis, through intracellular signaling events mediated by the TF cytoplasmic domain, through TF/fVIIa/fXa–mediated activation of protease-activated receptors, or through a combination of these processes. To better define the relationship between tumor cell-associated TF and circulating hemostatic factors in malignancy, we generated a set of C57Bl/6-derived tumor lines genetically lacking TF, expressing wild-type murine TF, or expressing a mutant TF lacking the cytoplasmic domain. Comparison of the metastatic potential of these cells in immunocompetent mice with genetic deficits in prothrombin, platelet function, or fibrinogen revealed that TF supports metastasis through mechanisms independent of the cytoplasmic domain, but dependent on each of these distal hemostatic factors. TF was neither required for primary tumor growth nor necessary for initial localization of embolized tumor cells within the lungs. Rather, tumor cell fate studies indicated TF supports metastasis by increasing the survival of micrometastases. One mechanism linking TF to metastasis is through a fibrin(ogen)-dependent and platelet-dependent restriction in natural killer cell–mediated clearance of micrometastases. However, TF also supported the early success of micrometastases through an additional mechanism independent of natural killer cells, but coupled to circulating prothrombin.


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