title: Natural killer cells: the journey from puzzles in biology to treatment of cancer.
abstract: Natural Killer (NK) cells are innate immune effectors that are primarily involved in immunosurveillance to spontaneously eliminate malignantly transformed and virally infected cells without prior sensitization. NK cells trigger targeted attack through release of cytotoxic granules, and secrete various cytokines and chemokines to promote subsequent adaptive immune responses. NK cells selectively attack target cells with diminished major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I expression. This "Missing-self" recognition by NK cells at first puzzled researchers in the early 1990s, and the mystery was solved with the discovery of germ line encoded killer immunoglobulin receptors that recognize MHC-I molecules. This review summarizes the biology of NK cells detailing the phenotypes, receptors and functions; interactions of NK cells with dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages and T cells. Further we discuss the various strategies to modulate NK cell activity and the practice of NK cells in cancer immunotherapy employing NK cell lines, autologous, allogeneic and genetically engineered cell populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, Assam 781032, India. Electronic address: laxmi.naren21@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lakshmi Narendra
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Bodduluru
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, Assam 781032, India.
authors.forename: Eshvendar Reddy
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Kasala
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, Assam 781032, India.
authors.forename: Rajaram Mohan Rao
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Madhana
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, Assam 781032, India.
authors.forename: Chandra Shaker
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Sriram
mesh_terms: D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
keywords: Adoptive cell transfer; Cancer; Immunotherapy; NK cells