Supercharged NK Cells Are a Unique Population of Cells Based on Transcriptomic, Single-Cell RNAseq, Proteomic, and Functional Characteristics; Comparison with Other NK Cell Subpopulations

Natural killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes with potent anti-tumor activity. However, their use in clinical trials has resulted in less than favorable outcomes due to the lack of reliable methods to augment their expansion and anti-tumor potential. Based on the previous publications and our ongoing studies, we present the characteristics of sNK cells that make these cells optimal for clinical trial applications. sNK cells have significantly high anti-tumor activity as well as increased survival and augmented expansion when they are cultured with osteoclasts and probiotic bacteria. In this review, we compare the expansion and function of sNK cells with other NK cell expansion methodologies to indicate the similarities and differences between sNK cells and other NK cell expansion methodologies. We also describe the uniqueness of sNK cells in terms of increased survival, expansion, and heightened function as determined by proteomic, transcriptomic, single-cell RNAseq, and functional characteristics. These cells not only target and kill poorly differentiated/stem-like tumors, but also can target differentiated tumors. In addition, they can restore the functional loss of autologous NK cells, allowing the patient's NK cells to become functional. These attributes of sNK cells make these cells not only unique population of NK cells but also cells that can effectively be used in clinical trials of cancer patients.