NK cell development and homeostasis require IL-15 produced by both hematopoietic and parenchymal cells. Certain hematopoietic IL-15 sources, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, are known, whereas the source of parenchymal IL-15 remains elusive. Using two types of adipocyte-specific Il15(-/-) mice, we identified adipocytes as a parenchymal IL-15 source that supported NK cell development non...

Few studies have addressed the consequences of physical interactions between NK and T cells, as well as physical interactions among NK cells themselves. We show in this study that NK cells can enhance T cell activation and proliferation in response to CD3 cross-linking and specific Ag through interactions between 2B4 (CD244) on NK cells and CD48 on T cells. Furthermore, 2B4/CD48 interactions be...

OBJECTIVE Apoptosis of natural killer (NK) cells is increased in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and may explain why NK cell levels are altered in these patients. Soluble forms of Fas and Fas ligand (L) are considered as markers of apoptosis. Here, we investigated whether plasma levels of Fas and FasL were associated with NK cell apoptosis and NK cell levels in CAD patients. METHO...

While distinct stages of natural killer (NK) cell development have been defined, the molecular interactions that shape human NK cell maturation are poorly understood. Here we define intercellular interactions between developing NK cells and stromal cells which, through contact-dependent mechanisms, promote the generation of mature, functional human NK cells from CD34(+) precursors. We show that...

Owing to the immunological progress in recent years, differentiation and maturation process of NK cells or NK-related cells has been made clear. Also, their neoplastic counterparts, namely NK cell related lymphoma/leukemia have been characterized. In this paper, we will report NK cell neoplasms based on the new classification of malignant lymphomas. Among these, nasal lymphoma is one of the mos...

NK cells are capable of responding quickly to infectious challenge and contribute to the early defense against a wide variety of pathogens. Although the innate NK cell response to murine CMV (MCMV) has been extensively characterized, its resolution and the fate of the activated NK cell population remains unexplored. Herein, we characterize both the expansion and contraction phases of the NK cel...

Natural killer (NK)/lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell-based immunotherapy could be beneficial against major histocompatibility complex class I-negative tumor residual disease such as neuroblastoma (NB), provided that interleukin 2 (IL-2) or surrogate nontoxic NK cell stimulatory factors could sustain NK cell activation and survival in vivo. Here we show that human monocyte-derived dendriti...

The poliovirus receptor (PVR) belongs to a large family of Ig molecules called nectins and nectin-like proteins, which mediate cell-cell adhesion, cell migration, and serve as entry receptors for viruses. It has been recently shown that human NK cells recognize PVR through the receptor DNAM-1, which triggers NK cell stimulation in association with beta(2) integrin. In this study, we show that N...

Natural killer (NK) cells are essential for killing transformed and virally infected cells. To prevent auto-reactivity, NK cell activation is inhibited by inhibitory receptors that activate the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1, which dephosphorylates signaling molecules crucial for NK cell activation. Initially, only a single SHP-1 substrate was identified in NK cells, the GEF VAV1. We recently demon...

Lymphoid neoplasms that are derived from natural killer (NK) cells are uncommon but distinct clinicopathologic disease entities. Three types have been recognized and categorized in the latest World Health Organization classification: extranodal NK cell lymphoma, nasal-type; aggressive NK cell leukemia; and blastic NK cell lymphoma. All NK tumor cells express the NK cell marker CD56, but they la...