PLoS Biol: Revealing the mechanism of natural killer cells from destroying perforin released by themselves

In a new study, researchers from Columbia University in the United States revealed a newly discovered fat "shield" that prevents natural killer cells (NK cells) from being destroyed by their own lethal biological weapons, and also allows some cancer cells to evade Attack of the immune system

NK cells are highly effective killers

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

Shielded by fat

Yu Li, who worked with Orange to understand how NK cells work, believes that the answer may lie in the lipid bilayers that make up the outer membrane of all cells

Li said, “There are many hypotheses about NK cells not killing themselves when they attack other cells, but they all suggest that there may be a magical, unknown protein that protects these cells

When NK cells are in contact with target cells, higher lipid accumulation occurs in the presynaptic membrane

Li tested his ideas

Reinforcements arrive before the NK cell attack

Li found that in order to ensure their viability, NK cells immediately strengthened their cell membranes before launching an attack

Orange said, “In essence, Li found that the cell membrane of NK cells became an explosion-proof shield

Lipid explosion-proof shield also protects some cancer cells

Li and Orange also discovered that NK cells are not the only cells that use lipid explosion-proof shields

Li found that cancer cells from an aggressive type of breast cancer strengthen their cell membranes during NK cell attack and are therefore not affected by NK cells

Note: The original text has been deleted

Reference materials:

Yu Li et al.