Fig. 5: NK cells migrate into tumor spheroids to induce tumor cell killing. | Cell Death Discovery

Fig. 5: NK cells migrate into tumor spheroids to induce tumor cell killing.

From: Pediatric multicellular tumor spheroid models illustrate a therapeutic potential by combining BH3 mimetics with Natural Killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy

Fig. 5: NK cells migrate into tumor spheroids to induce tumor cell killing.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

A RH30-GFP or RD-GFP cells were cultured as spheroids for 4 days. Activated NK cells were stained with CellTrace™ Violet and added to the spheroids at an effector to target (E:T) ratio of 5:1. Infiltration of NK cells into tumor spheroids was monitored by continuous live-cell microscopy for 8 h (see supplementary videos) and representative images for the indicated time points are displayed. B Modification of the E:T ratio influences the NK cell infiltration within the initial 8 h, measured by CellTrace™ Violet intensity within RH30-GFP or RD-GFP spheroids (mean + SEM, n = 3, normalized to only spheroids as background fluorescence). C NK cells are able to induce tumor cell killing in an E:T ratio-dependent manner. Selected images are displayed for the different E:T ratios after 5 days of NK cell addition. To visualize cell death spheroids were counterstained with PI. D Quantification of GFP and PI fluorescence intensity of RMS spheroids co-cultured with NK cells at different E:T ratios and calculation of the PI/GFP ratio as cell death indicator, exemplary images shown in (C). Data shown are mean + SEM (n = 5), **p < 0.01. Scale bar equals 500 μm.

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