Natural killer cells have "shields"

These findings may lead to new treatments for cancer, published in PLoS Biology on August 3

Natural killer cells are prolific killers

Natural killer cells are our body's first line of defense against pathogens and cancer cells.

Natural killer cells are a highly effective killer that can destroy up to six infected or cancerous cells every day

"But if these substances are so deadly, how can natural killer cells survive the explosion?" This question has not really been clear until now

Shielded by fat

Yu Li is a graduate student of Professor Jordan Orange at Columbia University.

"There are many hypotheses about why natural killer cells do not commit suicide when they attack other cells, but they all propose that there may be a miraculous unknown protein protecting these cells," Li said

Li puts his theory into practice: He exposes the cell membrane to a compound that weakens the structure of the lipid layer

Before the natural killer cell attack, the reinforcements arrived

Li discovered that in order to ensure their viability, natural killer cells immediately strengthen their cell membranes before launching an attack

Orange said: "In essence, Li discovered that this membrane becomes an explosion-proof enclosure

Lipid shock shielding can also protect some cancer cells

Li and Orange also discovered that natural killer cells are not the only cells that use lipid shock protection

At least some cancer cells take defensive measures to protect themselves when natural killer cells (or cytotoxic T cells, another immune cell that uses lipids for protection) attack

Li found that the cells of invasive breast cancer are not affected by natural killer cells and strengthen the cell membrane during the pathogenesis

"We don't yet know whether this is a general mechanism by which cancer cells resist natural killer cells," Li said

Degranulation enhances presynaptic membrane packing, which protects NK cells from perforin-mediated autolysis