Abstract
In solid tumors, cancer cells are often softer than non-malignant cells, but how this affects immune surveillance remains unclear. We show that NK cell killing efficiency in 3D environments is reduced against softened tumor cells and enhanced against stiffened ones, with faster killing and detachment for stiff targets. PIEZO1 is the primary mechanosensitive ion channel in NK cells; its disruption abolishes stiffness-dependent responses, reduces killing efficiency, and limits infiltration into 3D collagen matrices, whereas its activation enhances both killing and infiltration. In T cells, tumor cell softening impairs polarization, evidenced by reduced MTOC reorientation at the immune synapse. This process is also regulated by PIEZO1, which controls Ca²⁺ influx and likely dynein ring formation. Together, these findings highlight the critical role of PIEZO1-mediated mechanosensing in regulating NK and T cell function, offering new insights and potential targets for improving cancer immunotherapy.
Biography
Prof. Dr. Bin Qu completed her BSc at the University of Science and Technology of China and MSc at the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She earned her PhD in Immunology (summa cum laude) at Saarland University in 2010. Since 2013, she has led a research group there and served as Project Leader in Collaborative Research Centre 1027. After completing her habilitation in 2023, she became Professor and Department Head of Biomedical Sciences at Osnabrück University in 2025. Her research investigates how mechanical properties of 3D environments regulate migration, targeting, and cytotoxicity of NK cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, aiming to improve cancer immunotherapy and modulate autoimmune responses.