title: NK Cells in HIV Disease.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in viral immunity. In the setting of HIV infection, epidemiologic and functional evidence support a role for NK cells in both protection from new infection and in viral control. Specifically, NK cells directly mediate immune pressure leading to virus evolution, and NK cell receptor genotypic profiles, clonal repertoires, and functional capacity have all been implicated in virus containment. In addition, indirect NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity has been linked to vaccine-induced protective immunity against HIV infection. With recent advances in our understanding of NK cell deficiency, development, memory-like responses, and editing of the adaptive immune system, the opportunities to direct and exploit NK cell antiviral immunity to target HIV have exponentially grown. In this review, we seek to highlight the intersections between discoveries in basic NK cell biology and the challenges of HIV chronic infection, vaccine development, and cure/eradication strategies.
authors.affiliation: Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.|Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scully
authors.affiliation: Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA. galter@partners.org.
authors.forename: Galit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alter
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines
keywords: Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity; HIV; HIV pathogenesis; Innate immunity; NK cell; NK cell memory; Natural killer (NK); Review; Viral immunity