title: How to trigger a killer: modulation of natural killer cell reactivity on many levels.
abstract: The functions of Natural Killer (NK) cells are regulated by a highly redundant set of germline-encoded surface receptors that can inhibit or activate NK cell activities. NK cells can be activated by cytokines or through the interaction with transformed or infected cells. This typically results in the production of cytokines, chemokines, and the induction of cellular cytotoxicity. However, the reactivity of NK cells is modulated on various levels and shaped by processes such as development, education, priming, exposure to antigens and cytokines, and the formation of memory-like phenotypes. Here, I will summarize our current understanding of these processes and describe how they influence NK cell reactivity on a molecular level.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, IfADo, Dortmund, Germany. Electronic address: watzl@ifado.de.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Watzl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D056747:Immunomodulation; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D016207:Cytokines; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell
keywords: Cytokines; Cytomegalovirus; Cytotoxicity; Immunological memory; NK cell development; Natural Killer cells; Signal transduction; Surface receptors