Role of natural killer cells in antitumor resistance
ARBS annu. rev. biomed. sci
;
7: 127-148, 2005.
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-421297
ABSTRACT
Natural killer cells constitute a population of lymphocytes able to non-specifically destroy virus-infected and some kinds to tumor cells. Since this lytic activity was shown by non-immunized animals the phenomenon is denominated natural killer (NK) activity and contrasts with specific cytotoxicity performed by cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) because it does not depends on MHC-restricted peptides recognition. In fact, the main feature of most functional receptors of NK cells (NKRs) is their ability to be inhibited by different kinds of class I MHC antigens. In the middle of the 1950, Burnet and Thomas forged the concept of tumor immunosurveillance and NK cells can be considered one of the main figures in this phenomenon both effector and regulatory functions. In the present review the early studies on the biology of NK cells were revisited and both their antitumor activity and dependence on the activation by cytokines are discussed
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Killer Cells, Natural
/
Neoplasms
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
ARBS annu. rev. biomed. sci
Journal subject:
Biology
Year:
2005
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidade Estadual Paulista/BR
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS