Genetics of Natural Killer Cells in Human Health, Disease, and Survival.
Annu Rev Immunol
; 36: 519-548, 2018 04 26.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29394121
ABSTRACT
Natural killer (NK) cells have vital functions in human immunity and reproduction. In the innate and adaptive immune responses to infection, particularly by viruses, NK cells respond by secreting inflammatory cytokines and killing infected cells. In reproduction, NK cells are critical for genesis of the placenta, the organ that controls the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the growing fetus. Controlling NK cell functions are interactions of HLA class I with inhibitory NK cell receptors. First evolved was the conserved interaction of HLA-E with CD94NKG2A; later established were diverse interactions of HLA-A, -B, and -C with killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors. Characterizing the latter interactions is rapid evolution, which distinguishes human populations and all species of higher primate. Driving this evolution are the different and competing selections imposed by pathogens on NK cell-mediated immunity and by the constraints of human reproduction on NK cell-mediated placentation. Promoting rapid evolution is independent segregation of polymorphic receptors and ligands throughout human populations.
Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Killer Cells, Natural
/
Genetic Predisposition to Disease
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Immunity
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Annu Rev Immunol
Year:
2018
Type:
Article