Fig. 2

2B4.z-NK cells display superior anti-CD5⁺ hematologic malignant cell activity in vitro. a Representative flow cytometry analysis showing the expression of CD5 on MV4-11, Jurkat, MOLT-4, and MAVER-1 cells. b SFI (left panel) and proportion (right panel) of CD5 on MV4-11, Jurkat, MOLT-4, and MAVER-1 cells. c Representative flow cytometry analysis showing the proportion of CD107a⁺CD56⁺ cells after co-incubation with target cells as E:T = 1:3 for 5 h. d Quantification and statistical analysis of the data in c (n = 3; *p < 0.05; ***p < 0.001). e Representative flow cytometry analysis showing the expression of CD69⁺ (left panel), HLA-DR⁺ (middle panel), and NKG2D⁺ (right panel) cells in CD56⁺ cells after co-incubation with (stimulated) or without (Ctrl) MAVER-1 target cells for 6 h. f Quantification and statistical analysis of the data in e (n = 3; ***p < 0.001; n.s., no significance). g ELISA data showing the release of IFN-γ by NK cells after co-incubation with target cells for 12 h (n = 3; ***p < 0.001). h ELISA data showing the release of TNF-α by NK cells after co-incubation with target cells for 12 h (n = 3; ***p < 0.001). i Direct lysis of NK cells against target cells. Effector cells and target cells were co-incubated for 6 h at the indicated E:T ratio. Flow cytometry analysis of the percentage of CD5⁺CD56⁻ cells (n = 3; two-way ANOVA; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001). VEC: VEC-NK; BB.z: BB.z-NK; 2B4.z: 2B4.z-NK