NKG2A-mediated immune modulation of natural killer cells by Staphylococcus aureus.

ABSTRACT: Natural killer (NK) cells are specialized lymphocytes that help protect against viruses and cancer. However, in the context of bacterial infections, NK cells can be harmful, rather than protective. Such immune pathogenesis by NK cells has been linked to the overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines like interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). In this context, IFN-γ-deficient mice display increased survival rates in response to Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection. However, little is known about how NK cells respond to S. aureus in humans, which causes life-threatening, invasive systemic infections with high mortality rates. In this study, we found that the peripheral blood of patients with bloodstream S. aureus infection was enriched for CD57- NKG2A+ NK cells with greater cytokine-producing cap

SUBMITTER: Davies K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12726069 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature