Activation status dictates the function of unlicensed natural killer cells in mice and humans.

ABSTRACT: Natural killer (NK) cells are involved in innate defense against viral infection and cancer. NK cells can be divided into subsets based on the ability of different receptors to bind to major histocompatibility (MHC) class 1 molecules, resulting in differential responses upon activation in a process called "licensing" or "arming." NK cells expressing receptors that bind self-MHC are considered licensed due to an augmented effector lytic function capability compared with unlicensed subsets. However, we demonstrated that unlicensed NK subsets instead positively regulate the adaptive T-cell response during viral infections that are related to localization and cytokine production. In this study, the differential effects of the two types of NK subsets were contingent on the environment in viral

SUBMITTER: Aguilar EG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8945636 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature