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Cancer Cell International

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Open Access 01-12-2022 | Research

Multifaceted characterization of the biological and transcriptomic signatures of natural killer cells derived from cord blood and placental blood

Authors: Haibo Gao, Min Liu, Yawei Zhang, Leisheng Zhang, Baoguo Xie

Published in: Cancer Cell International | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Background

Perinatal blood including umbilical cord blood and placental blood are splendid sources for allogeneic NK cell generation with high cytotoxicity of combating pathogenic microorganism and malignant tumor. Despite the generation of NK cells from the aforementioned perinatal blood, yet the systematical and detailed information of the biological and transcriptomic signatures of UC-NKs and P-NKs before large-scale clinical applications in disease remodeling is still largely obscure.

Methods

Herein, we took advantage of the “3IL”-based strategy for high-efficient generation of NK cells from umbilical cord blood and placental blood (UC-NKs and P-NKs), respectively. On the one hand, we conducted flow cytometry (FCM) assay and coculture to evaluate the subpopulations, cellular vitality and cytotoxic activity of the aforementioned NK cells. On the other hand, with the aid of RNA-SEQ and multiple bioinformatics analyses, we further dissected the potential diversities of UC-NKs and P-NKs from the perspectives of transcriptomes.

Results

On the basis of the “3IL” strategy, high-efficient NKs were generated from mononuclear cells (MNCs) in perinatal blood. P-NKs revealed comparable ex vivo expansion but preferable activation and cytotoxicity upon K562 cells over UC-NKs. Both of the two NKs showed diversity in cellular vitality and transcriptome including apoptotic cells, cell cycle, gene expression profiling and the accompanied multifaceted biological processes.

Conclusions

Our data revealed the multifaceted similarities and differences of UC-NKs and P-NKs both at the cellular and molecular levels. Our findings supply new references for allogeneic NK cell-based immunotherapy in regenerative medicine and will benefit the further exploration for illuminating the underlying mechanism as well.

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Title: Multifaceted characterization of the biological and transcriptomic signatures of natural killer cells derived from cord blood and placental blood
Authors: Haibo Gao
Min Liu
Yawei Zhang
Leisheng Zhang
Baoguo Xie
Publication date: 01-12-2022
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Cancer Cell International / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2867
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-022-02697-6

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Abstract

Background

Methods

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Conclusions

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