NK cells in host responses to viral infections.

NK cells in host responses to viral infections. Curr Opin Immunol. 2016 Dec 13;44:43-51 Authors: Lam VC, Lanier LL Abstract Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic innate lymphocytes that play an important role in viral clearance. NK cell responses to viral infections were originally believed to be non-specific and lacked immune memory recall responses. It is now appreciated that NK cell responses to viral infections can be specific and in some cases memory recall responses are established. Increasing evidence also illuminates the complexity of NK cell interactions with both innate and adaptive immune cells. Here, we summarize the evidence for NK cell-specific memory responses to viral infections and the intricate reciprocal interactions between NK cells and other immune cells that dictate their activation and effector functions. PMID: 27984782 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Current Opinion in Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: Curr Opin Immunol Source Type: research