Effect of Aptamin C on NK cell activity and cytotoxicity in vivo and in vitro: a comparison study with the effect of vitamin C 2330057

Abstract Introduction NK cells are crucial for innate immunity and rapidly target abnormal cells through ligand-receptor signaling, without prior sensitization. Vitamin C is a bioenhancer of NK cells; however, its susceptibility to oxidation limits its efficacy in NK cell activation. This study evaluated the efficacy of Aptamin C, a stable conjugate of vitamin C and an aptamer, in enhancing NK cell activation. Methods For the in vivo study, 109 participants were administered Aptamin C (36.057 mg/day) or a placebo for 4 weeks. NK cell cytotoxicity and serum levels of NK cell related cytokines and cytotoxic granules were assessed. In parallel, in vitro experiments were conducted using NK-92 cells to compare the effects of Aptamin C with those of conventional vitamin C on NK cell proliferation, survival, and cytotoxic activity. Results In vivo, Aptamin C administration resulted in significant increases in NK cell cytotoxicity at weeks 2 and 4. Additionally, cytokine and granule levels associated with NK cell activity peaked in the serum 4 weeks after Aptamin C intake. Consistently, in vitro experiments revealed that Aptamin C treatment led to superior proliferation, survival, and cytotoxic granule production in NK-92 cells relative to vitamin C-treated controls. Conclusion These results demonstrate that Aptamin C more effectively enhances NK cell activity than vitamin C, highlighting its potential as a novel immunomodulatory supplement for NK cell based immune enhancement strategies. Funding Source This work was supported by N Therapeutics Co., Ltd. and Nexmos. Topic Categories Immune Mechanisms of Human Disease (HUM)