Turbocharged ‘killer’ cells show promise for autoimmune disease

upercharged ‘natural killer’ cells could become a potent way to reset a disordered immune system — and thus quench some autoimmune disorders. Results from two small clinical trials suggest that researchers can engineer natural killer cells — immune cells that destroy infected or diseased cells — to assassinate the renegade cells that produce antibodies against the body’s own tissues. These ‘autoantibodies’ can damage tissues, fuelling autoimmune diseases such as lupus and systemic sclerosis.