On guard--activating NK cell receptors.
Although natural killer (NK) cells are known to preferentially kill cells that lack major histocompatibility complex class I antigens, we do not know what signals the attack of these targets. Several membrane receptors have recently been implicated in this process and include molecules with immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAM) and motifs that bind phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K). Evidence is emerging that NK cells may use a combination of several receptors and signaling pathways to protect the host against infection and possibly against malignancies.
Lanier
L L
LL
Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Cancer Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, CA 94143-0414, USA. lanier@itsa.ucsf.edu
D000818:Animals; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071179:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Associated Protein
D018106:CD28 Antigens; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C120528:HCST protein, human; C492355:Hcst protein, mouse; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; C114953:SH2D1A protein, human; C499569:Sh2d1a protein, mouse; D000071179:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Associated Protein; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases