Harnessing natural killer cell effector function against cancer

Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic innate lymphoid cells that participate in anti-tumour and anti-viral immune responses. Their ability to rapidly destroy abnormal cells and to enhance the anti-cancer function of dendritic cells, CD8+ T cells and macrophages makes them an attractive target for immunotherapeutic strategies. The development of approaches which augment NK cell activation against cancer is currently under intense preclinical and clinical research and strategies include chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) NK cells, NK cell engagers, cytokines, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we highlight recent advances in NK cell therapeutic development and discuss their potential to add to our armamentarium against cancer.