Natural killer cells in malignant hematology: A primer for the non-immunologist.
Natural killer cells were first described over 40years ago, but the last 15years has shown tremendous progress in our understanding of their biology and our ability to manipulate them for clinical therapeutic effect. Despite the increased understanding by clinicians and scientists investigating these cells, their biology remains a confusing subject for many because of the wide array of receptors, complex interactions, multiple models of predicting function, and contradictory data in the literature. While they are microscopically indistinguishable from T cells and share many of the same effector functions, their mechanisms of target recognition are completely distinct from yet complimentary to T cells. In this review we provide a basic understanding of NK cell biology and HLA recognition as compared and contrasted to T cells using a metaphor of border patrol and passports. We conclude with a summary of the evidence for NK cell effects in hematologic malignancies and describe new advances in NK cell immunotherapy aimed at improving these effects.
Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brooklyn Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Electronic address: GeoffreyS_Kannan@dfci.harvard.edu.
Geoffrey S
GS
Kannan
Clinical and Translational Sciences Program, University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 6767 Bertner Avenue, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Division of Pediatrics, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 853, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: AAquino@mdanderson.org.
Arianexys
A
Aquino-Lopez
Division of Hematology, Oncology, and BMT, Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, WA4023, Columbus, OH 43205, USA. Electronic address: Dean.Lee@nationwidechildrens.org.
Dean A
DA
Lee
D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D015398:Signal Transduction
Adoptive immunotherapy; Cytotoxicity; Graft-vs-leukemia; Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; KIR mismatch; Natural killer cells