Aurovertin B sensitizes colorectal cancer cells to NK cell recognition and lysis

The natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) receptor on natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in immunosurveillance to cancer cells, which could mediate the eradication of tumor cells through specific interactions with NKG2D ligands on tumor cells. Here we report one natural compound aurovertin B from basidiomycete Albatrellus confluens significantly stimulates the expression of NKG2D ligands on tumor cells, which greatly sensitizes its recognition and lysis by NK cell. It is completely a novel role for aurovertin B to target tumor cells to death mediated by NK cells and our findings indicate aurovertin B may deserve further development as sensitizing agent in NK cell mediated cancer immunotherapy.