NK cells: innate immunity against hematological malignancies?
Recent advances in the treatment of malignant haemopathies enable increased remission and cure rates, however, many patients relapse and finally die. Although specific immunity mediated by cytolytic T-lymphocytes might have an anti-cancer role, tumours escape from T-cell-based immune surveillance using various mechanisms, such as downregulation, mutation or loss of HLA class I molecules. As a consequence, these transformed cells could become targets for natural killer (NK) cells, whose cytotoxic capabilities are not blocked by HLA class I molecule engagement by specific inhibitory receptors. Novel developments in NK-cell research, particularly the identification of the role of non-HLA-restricted activating receptors (and in some cases of their ligands), have recently enabled us to reconsider NK-cell interactions with haematological malignant cells.
Costello
Régis T
RT
Laboratoire Immunologie des Tumeurs, Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer de Marseille, 232 boulevard Sainte Marguerite, 13009 Marseille, France. regis.costello@free.fr
Fauriat
Cyril
C
Sivori
Simona
S
Marcenaro
Emanuela
E
Olive
Daniel
D
D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological