title: The innate immune response in the central nervous system and its role in glioma immune surveillance.
abstract: The innate immune system encompasses natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages and granulocytes, the complement system and antimicrobial peptides. Recognition pathways of the innate immune system include microbial non-self recognition, missing-self recognition and induced- self recognition. The central nervous system (CNS) participates in responses of the innate immune system. However, immune inhibitory and anti-inflammatory mechanisms physiologically outbalance and counteract immune activity and thereby limit immune-mediated tissue damage in the brain. Human gliomas appear to take advantage of this immunosuppressive milieu. Moreover, glioma cells themselves interfere with anti-tumor immune responses by expressing immune inhibitory cell surface molecules, such as HLA-G, or by releasing soluble immunosuppressants such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta. Yet, although glioma cells exhibit all cellular features of malignancy, these tumors very rarely metastasize outside the brain, raising the possibility of immune-mediated control of these cells outside, but not inside, the brain. Accordingly, activating the innate immune system by forcing glioma cells to express danger signals such as NKG2D ligands is a promising strategy of immunotherapy for these tumors.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Allgemeine Neurologie, Hertie-Institut für Klinische Hirnforschung, Zentrum für Neurologie, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Friese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005910:Glioma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D003165:Complement System Proteins