Functional crosstalk and regulation of natural killer cells in tumor microenvironment: Significance and potential therapeutic strategies
Liping Wang, Zhe Chen, Guohong Liu, Yunbao Pan
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells eliminate a large variety of tumor cells and abnormal cells. However, NK cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are often functionally depleted. A few subsets of NK cells even promote tumor growth. This study reviewed the biological properties of NK cells, the dynamic phenotypic changes of NK cells in the TME, and the communication between NK cells and other immune and nonimmune cells.
Topics & Concepts
Tumor microenvironmentCrosstalkImmune systemBiologyTumor cellsNatural killer cellInterleukin 12Cell biologyNatural killer T cellPhenotypeLymphokine-activated killer cellImmunologyCancer researchInterleukin 21Cytotoxic T cellIn vitroT cellGeneOpticsPhysicsBiochemistryImmune Cell Function and InteractionImmune cells in cancerT-cell and B-cell Immunology