Pictured are (L to R): Jennifer Folta, Graduate Research Assistant; Ginger Morgan, Executive Director of the PuppyUp Foundation; and Dr. Dean Lee.
Dear Friends and Supporters,
NK “Killer” Cell Therapy is just one kind of pioneering research your donations have helped the PuppyUp Foundation advance. We’re always looking for forward-thinking studies that further our shared battles against cancer. With less than 48 hours left to donate this year, we hope you’ll give generously to help us continue our fight against this terrible disease. Please make your tax-deductible donations today. And thank you.
Your generous donations again this year have allowed us to fund a $100,000 study with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, who will be collaborating with the Medical Teaching Hospital at UC Davis. This funding will be used to study NK Cell Therapy for dogs with osteosarcoma (bone cancer).
Natural killer cells (or NK cells) are a type of lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell or leukocyte). They help an organism fight infections, and occur in the immune system of all vertebrates. NK cells are critical to the innate immune system and provide a rapid response to cells infected by viruses, or to bacterial cells. The response happens about 3 days after infection. NK cells also respond to tumor formation.
NK cells are unique: they have the ability to recognize stressed cells in the absence of antibodies and major histocompatibility complex (MHC). This allows for a much faster immune reaction.
Jennifer Foltz, Graduate Research Assistant with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center explains: “Natural killer cell immunotherapy uses a subset of the dog’s own immune system that is highly effective at killing cancer. Since human and canine bone cancer are extremely similar, these studies will be used to improve natural killer cell therapy for human bone cancer as well.”
