NK/DC crosstalk in immunosurveillance: a broken relationship caused by WASP-deficiency.
Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a primary immunodeficiency, which is characterized by abnormal immune system functions caused by the lack of expression of WAS protein (WASp). A higher tumor susceptibility is observed in WAS patients; whether this is a direct consequence of impaired immunosurveillance due to WAS deficiency in immune cells is, however, an open question. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, Catucci et al. [Eur. J. Immunol. 2014. 44: 1039-1045] shed light on the link between Was deficiency and immunosurveillance in a tumor-prone mouse model and report a role for the impaired crosstalk between natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells (DCs) in mediating this process. The potential mechanisms involved in WASp regulation of NK/DC-mediated immunosurveillance are the focus of this Commentary.
Innate Immunity, Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum-A Leibniz Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Chiara
C
Romagnani
Marina
M
Babic
D000818:Animals; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D051316:Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein / Q000276:immunology*
D051316:Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein
Antitumor immunity; DC; Immune surveillance; NK cells; Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome