title: Revisiting the Prominent Anti-Tumoral Potential of Pre-mNK Cells.
abstract: Interferon-producing killer dendritic cells (IKDC) were first described for their outstanding anti-tumoral properties. The "IKDC" terminology implied the description of a novel DC subset and initiated a debate on their cellular lineage origin. This debate shifted the focus away from their notable anti-tumoral potential. IKDC were recently redefined as precursors to mature NK (mNK) cells and consequently renamed pre-mNK cells. Importantly, a putative human equivalent of pre-mNK cells was recently associated with improved disease outcome in cancer patients. It is thus timely to revisit the functional attributes as well as the therapeutic potential of pre-mNK cells in line with their newly defined NK-cell precursor function.
authors.affiliation: Immunology-Oncology Section, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital , Montreal, QC , Canada ; Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal , Montreal, QC , Canada.
authors.forename: Fanny
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guimont-Desrochers
authors.affiliation: Immunology-Oncology Section, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital , Montreal, QC , Canada ; Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal , Montreal, QC , Canada.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lesage
keywords: anti-tumoral activity; cellular differentiation; human; mouse; natural killer cells; pre-mNK cells