Human NK Cells Develop an Exhaustion Phenotype During Polar Degranulation at the <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> Hyphal Synapse.

ABSTRACT: Pulmonary aspergillosis is an opportunistic fungal infection affecting immunocompromised individuals. Increasing understanding of natural killer (NK) cell immunobiology has aroused considerable interest around the role of NK cells in pulmonary aspergillosis in the immunocompromised host. Murine studies indicate that NK cells play a critical role in pulmonary clearance of A. fumigatus. We show that the in vitro interaction between NK cells and A. fumigatus induces partial activation of NK cell immune response, characterised by low-level production of IFN-γ, TNF-α, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and RANTES, polarisation of lytic granules and release of fungal DNA. We observed a contact-dependent down-regulation of activatory receptors NKG2D and NKp46 on the NK cell surface, and a failu

SUBMITTER: Santiago V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6204393 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature