title: NK cells controlling virus-specific T cells: Rheostats for acute vs. persistent infections.
abstract: Viral infections characteristically induce a cytokine-driven activated natural killer (NK) cell response that precedes an antigen-driven T cell response. These NK cells can restrain some but not all viral infections by attacking virus-infected cells and can thereby provide time for an effective T cell response to mobilize. Recent studies have revealed an additional immunoregulatory role for the NK cells, where they inhibit the size and functionality of the T cell response, regardless of whether the viruses are themselves sensitive to NK cells. This subsequent change in T cell dynamics can alter patterns of immunopathology and persistence and implicates NK cells as rheostat-like regulators of persistent infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Program for Immunology and Virology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. Raymond.Welsh@umassmed.edu
authors.forename: Raymond M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Welsh
authors.forename: Stephen N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Waggoner
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D056747:Immunomodulation; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008216:Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D018146:Muromegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell