Blocking NKG2A in Echinococcus multilocularis infection partially relieves impairment of NK cell function of the host.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a fatal zoonotic parasitic disease with biological characteristics similar to cancer. Although previous studies have reported immune dysfunction of Natural Killer (NK) cells due to other inhibitory receptors in AE, limited research has been conducted on the role of Natural Killer cell protein Group 2-A (NKG2A) in human NK cells.

Methods and results

Our study revealed upregulation of NKG2A expression in peripheral blood and liver tissue NK cells in patients with AE, which was accompanied by a decrease in the secretion of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and Granzyme B by these NK cells. When we blocked the NKG2A receptor during co-culture of NK cells with Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis) proteins in vitro, we observed increased secretion

SUBMITTER: Aierken A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12317963 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature