Natural killer (NK) cell function is suppressed by transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) and activin A. Knockout of the common signaling mediator SMAD4 by CRISPR–Cas9 resulted in NK cells with enhanced antitumor activity, offering a strategy for improving NK cell-based cancer immunotherapies.
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Fig. 1: SMAD4KO NK cells are resistant to TGFβ inhibition.
References
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This is a summary of: Rea, A. et al. Enhancing human NK cell antitumor function by knocking out SMAD4 to counteract TGFβ and activin A suppression. Nat. Immunol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02103-z (2025).
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Overcoming TGFβ and activin A suppression boosts NK cell antitumor function. Nat Immunol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02112-y
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Published:27 March 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02112-y
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