The Role of Natural Killer Cells in Immune System Function and...

The Role of Natural Killer Cells in Immune System Function and Disease

Posted 2023-05-05 09:57:02

Recent advances in immunotherapy have led to the development of NK cell-based cancer treatments that aim to harness the potential of these cells to kill cancer cells. NK cells can be isolated from the patient's blood or from a donor and expanded in the laboratory before being infused back into the patient. This approach, known as adoptive NK cell therapy, has shown promising results in clinical trials for various types of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumors. One of the advantages of Natural Killer Cells therapy is its ability to target a wide range of cancer cells, including those that are resistant to conventional treatments. NK cells have a mechanism of action that is different from other immune cells and can recognize and kill cancer cells that have lost or downregulated expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), a molecule that is essential for T cell recognition.

NK cells are a critical component of the immune system's innate response against viral infections and cancer. These cells use a combination of activating and inhibitory receptors to distinguish healthy cells from infected or transformed cells and eliminate the abnormal cells through the release of cytotoxic molecules and cytokines. NK cells also play a role in adaptive immune responses, autoimmune regulation, and immune tolerance. Dysfunction or deficiency of NK cells can lead to increased susceptibility to viral infections and cancer, highlighting the importance of understanding the biology of these cells for the development of novel therapies against these diseases.