Label-Free Impedance-Based Real-Time Cell Analysis Platform: An Advanced Technology Designed to Monitor the Cytotoxic Activity of Natural Killer Cells.

Abstract

Natural killer (NK) cells play a key role in targeting cancer, virus-infected, and senescent cells through direct cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Monitoring NK cell cytotoxicity is crucial for evaluating immune function, tracking disease progression, and assessing therapeutic outcomes, particularly in oncology and immunology. NK cells help manage infections, cancer, and other health conditions through their cytotoxic actions. Changes in NK activity can signal disease states or responses to treatments. NK cell-based therapies require functional assessments to maximize effectiveness. Abnormal NK cytotoxicity may be linked to autoimmune diseases or immune exhaustion in tumor microenvironments. Various methods are used to measure NK cell cytotoxicity, with the chromium-51 release assay once being the gold standard by detecting radioactive chromium release upon target cell destruction. This report highlights the significant potential of a label-free impedance-based Real Time Cell Analysis (RTCA) platform with complementary live cell imaging capability for label-free, dynamic monitoring of NK-target cell interactions over time.