Tumor-primed natural killer cells: waiting for the green light
The functional impairment of natural killer (NK) cells has been frequently reported in cancer studies. As one of the central components of host anti-tumor immunity, NK cells exert cellular cytotoxicity against tumor cells, and secrete a cytokine milieu to inhibit tumor progression and enable the rec...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2013-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fimmu.2013.00408/full |
| _version_ | 1818581138150522880 |
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| author | May eSabry Mark W. Lowdell |
| author_facet | May eSabry Mark W. Lowdell |
| author_sort | May eSabry |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The functional impairment of natural killer (NK) cells has been frequently reported in cancer studies. As one of the central components of host anti-tumor immunity, NK cells exert cellular cytotoxicity against tumor cells, and secrete a cytokine milieu to inhibit tumor progression and enable the recruitment of other immune cells to the tumor site. The unlocking of the full functional potential of NK cells requires successful progression through discrete activation stages that are tightly regulated by a complex array of signalling molecules. Target cell susceptibility to NK cell-mediated killing is dependent on the intensity and specific combination of ligand expression for NK cell receptors. Tumor cells utilize numerous strategies for evading NK cells, including the downregulation of important NK cell-activating ligands. Here, we review key studies on NK cell activation requirements, and argue, based on our findings from NK cell-tumor interactions, that the altered characteristics of tumor-associated NK cells are indicative of unmet signalling requirements for full NK cell activation, rather than NK cell dysfunction in cancer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:28:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-29bd5a16a8914c83947c7be0706a5047 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:28:43Z |
| publishDate | 2013-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj.art-29bd5a16a8914c83947c7be0706a50472022-12-21T22:39:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242013-11-01410.3389/fimmu.2013.0040869261Tumor-primed natural killer cells: waiting for the green lightMay eSabry0Mark W. Lowdell1University College LondonUniversity College LondonThe functional impairment of natural killer (NK) cells has been frequently reported in cancer studies. As one of the central components of host anti-tumor immunity, NK cells exert cellular cytotoxicity against tumor cells, and secrete a cytokine milieu to inhibit tumor progression and enable the recruitment of other immune cells to the tumor site. The unlocking of the full functional potential of NK cells requires successful progression through discrete activation stages that are tightly regulated by a complex array of signalling molecules. Target cell susceptibility to NK cell-mediated killing is dependent on the intensity and specific combination of ligand expression for NK cell receptors. Tumor cells utilize numerous strategies for evading NK cells, including the downregulation of important NK cell-activating ligands. Here, we review key studies on NK cell activation requirements, and argue, based on our findings from NK cell-tumor interactions, that the altered characteristics of tumor-associated NK cells are indicative of unmet signalling requirements for full NK cell activation, rather than NK cell dysfunction in cancer.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fimmu.2013.00408/fullLFA-1cancer immunotherapyNatural Killer cellsNKG2DNK cell dysfunctionCTV-1 |
| spellingShingle | May eSabry Mark W. Lowdell Tumor-primed natural killer cells: waiting for the green light Frontiers in Immunology LFA-1 cancer immunotherapy Natural Killer cells NKG2D NK cell dysfunction CTV-1 |
| title | Tumor-primed natural killer cells: waiting for the green light |
| title_full | Tumor-primed natural killer cells: waiting for the green light |
| title_fullStr | Tumor-primed natural killer cells: waiting for the green light |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tumor-primed natural killer cells: waiting for the green light |
| title_short | Tumor-primed natural killer cells: waiting for the green light |
| title_sort | tumor primed natural killer cells waiting for the green light |
| topic | LFA-1 cancer immunotherapy Natural Killer cells NKG2D NK cell dysfunction CTV-1 |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fimmu.2013.00408/full |
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