title: Cellular and molecular basis of natural killer and natural killer-like activity.
abstract: The capability of killing various tumors or cells infected by certain viruses is a property shared by natural killer (NK) cells and by a subset of cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) termed NK-CTL. Recent analysis of the molecular basis in these phenomena, however, revealed rather different molecular mechanisms. Thus, while NK cell cytotoxicity is regulated by a complex balance between activating signals (delivered by non HLA-class I-specific triggering receptors) and inhibitory signals (delivered by HLA-class I-specific receptors) the effector function of NK-CTL reflects the TCR-mediated recognition of the poorly polymorphic HLA-E.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Genova, Via L.B. Alberti no. 2, 16132 Genova, Italy. lorenzomoretta@ospedale-gaslini.ge.it
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moretta
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mingari
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bottino
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pende
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biassoni
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moretta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D000097625:HLA-E Antigens
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000097625:HLA-E Antigens