title: Regulatory Functions of Natural Killer Cells in Multiple Sclerosis.
abstract: There is increasing evidence that natural killer (NK) cells exhibit regulatory features. Among them, CD56brightNK cells have been suggested to play a major role in controlling T cell responses and maintaining homeostasis. Dysfunction in NK cell-mediated regulatory features has been recently described in untreated multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting a contribution to MS pathogenesis. Moreover, biological disease-modifying treatments effective in MS apparently enhance the frequencies and/or regulatory function of NK cells, further pointing toward an immunoprotective role of NK cells in MS. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the regulatory functions of NK cells, based on their interactions with other cells belonging to the innate compartment, as well as with adaptive effector cells. We review the more recent data reporting disruption of NK cell/T cell interactions in MS and discuss how disease-modifying treatments for MS affect NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Münster , Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Catharina C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Münster , Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schulte-Mecklenbeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Münster , Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wiendl
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genova, Genova, Italy; Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marcenaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova , Genova , Italy.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kerlero de Rosbo
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genova, Genova, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genova, Italy; IRCCS San Martino-IST, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uccelli
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genova, Genova, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genova, Italy; IRCCS San Martino-IST, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laroni
keywords: CD56bright NK cells; CD56dim NK cells; innate immune system; multiple sclerosis; natural killer cells; regulatory immune cells