Chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46765/2675-374X.2025v7n1e335Keywords:
Natural killer, CAR-NK, Cell therapyAbstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology has transformed adoptive cell therapy, particularly through the success of CAR-T cells in hematologic malignancies. However, challenges such as toxicity, complex manufacturing, and high costs have encouraged the exploration of alternative immune cell platforms. Natural killer (NK) cells represent a promising approach due to their intrinsic cytotoxic activity, major histocompatibility complex-independent tumor recognition, and lower risk of severe immune-related toxicities. CAR-NK cells combine CAR-mediated antigen targeting with the natural antitumor functions of NK cells, supporting the development of safer and potentially “off-the-shelf” cellular therapies. This chapter reviews the biological rationale of CAR-NK cells, current gene engineering strategies, and the evolving clinical landscape, highlighting their potential in hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, and autoimmune diseases.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Larissa Cardoso Zanetti, Raquel de Melo Alves Paiva, Lucila Nassif Kerbauy
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
