On guard—activating NK cell receptors

LL Lanier - Nature immunology, 2001 - nature.com
Nature immunology, 2001nature.com
Although natural killer (NK) cells are known to preferentially kill cells that lack major
histocompatibility complex class I antigens, we do not know what signals the attack of these
targets. Several membrane receptors have recently been implicated in this process and
include molecules with immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAM) and motifs
that bind phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K). Evidence is emerging that NK cells may use a
combination of several receptors and signaling pathways to protect the host against infection …
Abstract
Although natural killer (NK) cells are known to preferentially kill cells that lack major histocompatibility complex class I antigens, we do not know what signals the attack of these targets. Several membrane receptors have recently been implicated in this process and include molecules with immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAM) and motifs that bind phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K). Evidence is emerging that NK cells may use a combination of several receptors and signaling pathways to protect the host against infection and possibly against malignancies.
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