The NK cell checkpoint NKG2A maintains expansion capacity of human NK cells.

ABSTRACT: Human natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic effector cells that are increasingly harnessed in cancer immunotherapy. NKG2A/CD94 is an inhibitory receptor on NK cells that has established regulatory functions in the direct interaction with target cells when engaged with its ligand, the non-classical HLA class I molecule HLA-E. Here, we confirmed NKG2A as a checkpoint molecule in primary human NK cells and identified a novel role for NKG2A in maintaining NK cell expansion capacity by dampening both proliferative activity and excessive activation-induced cell death. Maintenance of NK cell expansion capacity might contribute to the preferential accumulation of human NKG2A⁺ NK cells after hematopoietic cell transplantation and enrichment of functionally impaired NK cells in human ca

SUBMITTER: Kaulfuss M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10310841 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature