title: Natural killer cells in human autoimmunity.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells. Although NK cells are best characterized for their ability to control tumors and infections, recent data have indicated that they also are important regulatory cells by virtue of interactions with many types of immune and nonimmune cells. Thereby, they can affect the outcome of adaptive immune responses and maintain immune homeostasis. Thus, NK cells can either exacerbate or limit immune responses, including those to autoantigens. Here, we discuss current insights into the role of NK cells in human autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flodström-Tullberg
authors.forename: Yenan T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Bryceson
authors.forename: Fu-Dong
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Petter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Höglund
authors.forename: Hans-Gustaf
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Ljunggren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D015551:Autoimmunity; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism