title: Alloreactive natural killer cells in targeting high-risk leukaemias.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells express surface receptors that regulate potent effector functions, such as cytolytic activity and release of cytokines, which play a central role in inflammatory response and immunoregulation. In this paper, major advances are outlined from the original discovery of HLA-class I-specific inhibitory receptors in humans to recent, particularly successful, clinical applications in the cure of high-risk, otherwise fatal leukaemias. The central role of donor-derived "alloreactive" NK cells in eradicating leukaemic cells in the T-cell-depleted haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation setting became evident. Since alloreactive NK cells seem to play a key role also in preventing graft rejection and graft-vs-host disease, they may be an ideal tool to treat high-risk leukaemias in the haematopoietic stem cell transplantation setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy. lorenzomoretta@ospedale-gaslini.ge.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moretta
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moretta
mesh_terms: D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007126:Immunoglobulin Allotypes / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000097:blood; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007126:Immunoglobulin Allotypes; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell