Skull cap device boost natural killer cells’ power to destroy brain cancer

A life-threatening type of cancer spreading through the brain or even the spinal cord, glioblastoma, could soon be treated with a hat therapy emitting electrical currents.

In a new study, scientists driven to find cancer cures explored if Tumour Treating Fields (TTF) devices may somehow make Natural Killer (NK) cells more effective when employed as an immunotherapy.

In the latest development, scientists discovered that TTF especially enhanced the cancer-killing ability of NK cells in the laboratory.

TTF devices to aid brain cancer treatment

According to The Brain Tumour Charity, TTF, also called TT Fields, is a non-invasive technique for adults diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer .

The device comprises a set of adhesive patches or bandages that maintain insulated ceramic discs known as ‘transducer arrays’, onto a shaved head. It mimics a skull cap of a kind.

Wires connect these arrays to a portable, battery-powered device that can be carried in a shoulder bag or backpack.

When the natural killer cells were exposed to a hat-like tumor-treating device, the cells exhibited increased degranulation against brain cancer .

Degranulation is a method that strengthens the natural killer cells’ power to destroy cancer cells more effectively.

The study was undertaken by a team of scientists in Trinity’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Dublin, Ireland in collaboration with an engineer at Cambridge University, England.

Clair Gardiner, Professor of Immunology at Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute said in a statement by Trinity College Dublin that immunotherapies have improved outcomes for a large range of cancer types and offer significant potential for hard-to-treat cancers.

“However, it is likely that a combination of treatment approaches will ultimately be required for maximum impact on patient outcomes.”

Minimal negative impact on NK cells

“Little is known about whether TTFs can be used successfully in combination with immunotherapies, or even if TTFs might stop immunotherapy from working completely,” says Gardiner.

“The findings here, however, are very promising as our work shows that they had minimal negative impact on the NK cells and seemed to make them even more effective as killers.”

The team of researchers also observed while TTFs did not much affect the major immunological molecules yielded by NK cells viability – they seem to not have influenced the viability of NK cells or ‘cytokines’ production as per the university.

Although the TTFs did elevate the degranulation of NK cells, implying a boost in their cancer-killing ability. In short, they had minimal negative impact on the viability of these natural killers.

This finding suggests that TTF not only disrupts brain tumor growth but also augments the body’s immune response, making NK cells even more potent in targeting and eliminating brain cancer cells.

Scientists plan to conduct further studies to provide adequate treatment to victims of glioblastoma , a brain cancer.

“More work is needed, but the data suggest that treatment using a combination of TTF and NK cells could be beneficial, and offer future potential for a new dual-modality treatment for patients with glioblastoma,” Gardiner says.

The study was published in the journal – Cell Reports Physical Science .