Review
Immunology
Victoria Male, Ashley Moffett
Summary: The presence of granulated lymphocytes known as uNK cells in the human uterine mucosa was first noted in the nineteenth century, but they were identified as a type of NK cell in 1990. Uterine NK cells have been found to be less cytotoxic than their peripheral counterparts. Recent research has identified three subpopulations of uNK cells that cluster separately from peripheral NK cells. This review examines the history of uNK cell research, their interactions with placental cells, their role in placental implantation, and their potential for defending against infection and mediating memory effects.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chow-Seng Kong, Alexandra Almansa Ordonez, Sarah Turner, Tina Tremaine, Joanne Muter, Emma S. Lucas, Emma Salisbury, Rita Vassena, Gustavo Tiscornia, Ali A. Fouladi-Nashta, Geraldine Hartshorne, Jan J. Brosens, Paul J. Brighton
Summary: The study found that uterine natural killer cells play a crucial role in embryo biosensing and implantation process, highlighting their importance in selectively eliminating senescent decidual cells.
Review
Immunology
Min Xie, Yan Li, Yi-Zi Meng, Peng Xu, Yong-Guang Yang, Shuai Dong, Jin He, Zheng Hu
Summary: Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are an immune subset located in the uterus that play a crucial role in successful pregnancy and protection against pathogens. Their abnormal alterations may lead to pregnancy complications and uterine diseases.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Ee Von Woon, Orene Greer, Nishel Shah, Dimitrios Nikolaou, Mark Johnson, Victoria Male
Summary: Studies have found significantly increased levels of uterine natural killer cells in women with recurrent miscarriage and recurrent implantation failure, which may contribute to implantation or placental development failure. While results on cytokine secretion varied among studies, most research indicated lower expression of inhibitory receptors and higher expression of angiogenic factors in women with recurrent miscarriage.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION UPDATE
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Nurul Izza Ismail
Summary: As the placenta is semi-allogenic, it is expected that maternal immune cells would attack the invading trophoblast, but studies have shown that they cooperate with the trophoblast to disrupt the arterial wall. uNK cells, unique immune cells, play a role in pregnancy. The interaction between HLA class 1b genes and maternal uNK cells in humans is described in this review.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Hans Raskov, Adile Orhan, Ali Salanti, Shruti Gaggar, Ismail Gogenur
Summary: NK cells play a crucial role in cancer treatment by recognizing and killing transformed cells, potentially improving treatment outcomes. Current research focuses on the development of immunotherapeutic approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell transfer using T cells with chimeric antigen receptors to enhance immune function.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tatiana Michel, Markus Ollert, Jacques Zimmer
Summary: Despite the challenges in cancer treatment, immunotherapy based on NK cells is considered to be one of the most promising options and has already shown success in clinical settings. This review highlights the different possibilities and mechanisms of NK cells in cancer therapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Jiacheng Bi, Chen Huang, Xiaomeng Jin, Chaoyue Zheng, Yingying Huang, Xiaohu Zheng, Zhigang Tian, Haoyu Sun
Summary: By analyzing single-cell transcriptomics and using gene reporter mice, this study found that TIPE2 expression correlated with NK cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in both humans and mice. Deletion of TIPE2 improved the antitumor activity of adoptively transferred mouse NK cells and human NK cells, either derived from peripheral blood or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Additionally, TIPE2 deletion synergized with CISH deletion to further enhance antitumor activity in vivo.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Nadine Landolina, Francesca Romana Mariotti, Tiziano Ingegnere, Claudia Alicata, Biancamaria Ricci, Andrea Pelosi, Irene Veneziani, Bruno Giuseppe Azzarone, Cecilia Garlanda, Alberto Mantovani, Lorenzo Moretta, Enrico Maggi
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the role of IL-1R8 in human NK cells and optimize its silencing conditions. The results showed that silencing IL-1R8 can enhance the activity and anti-tumor response of NK cells.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Yun Liu, Peigen Chen, Hui Fei, Mengxiong Li, Xian Li, Tian Li
Summary: In this study, analysis of endometrial tissue data from patients with recurrent miscarriage revealed a key module positively related to the numbers of miscarriages, with natural killer cells mediated cytotoxicity related genes playing a role. Specifically, CASP3 was identified as a key gene that down-regulates PARP1, with regulation by SP1. It was proposed that natural killer cells contribute to recurrent miscarriage through the SP1-CASP3-PARP1 pathway.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Sainiteesh Maddineni, John L. Silberstein, John B. Sunwoo
Summary: This article reviews multiple approaches for allogeneic NK cell therapy and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each method. In recent years, NK cells have become increasingly important players in the immune response against cancer.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Seung Hee Choi, Hye Jin Kim, Joo Dong Park, Eun-Su Ko, Minwook Lee, Dae-Keum Lee, Jin-Ho Choi, Hye Jung Jang, Isaac Kim, Hae-Yun Jung, Keun-Hong Park, Kyung-Soon Park
Summary: The chemical priming of NK cells using 25KbPEI enhances their antitumor activity and migration ability, offering a simple and cost-effective method for producing therapeutic NK cells.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Oisin Huhn, Xiaohui Zhao, Laura Esposito, Ashley Moffett, Francesco Colucci, Andrew M. Sharkey
Summary: Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are the most abundant immune cells in the uterine mucosa before and during pregnancy, with tissue-resident natural killer (NK) cells and ILCs being the main subsets. Recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing and high dimensional flow and mass cytometry have significantly enhanced our understanding of the heterogeneity within the uILC compartment. These advancements may help answer key clinical questions regarding infertility, miscarriage, and pregnancy disorders related to uILC subsets.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jiao Wang, Sandra Toregrosa-Allen, Bennett D. Elzey, Sagar Utturkar, Nadia Atallah Lanman, Victor Bernal-Crespo, Matthew M. Behymer, Gregory T. Knipp, Yeonhee Yun, Michael C. Veronesi, Anthony L. Sinn, Karen E. Pollok, Randy R. Brutkiewicz, Kathryn S. Nevel, Sandro Matosevic
Summary: This study demonstrates a promising strategy utilizing genetically engineered human NK cells as a multifunctional immunotherapy to target multiple mechanisms of GBM progression simultaneously, including addressing antigen escape, immunometabolic reprogramming, and immune cell homing.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Meike Vogler, Senthan Shanmugalingam, Vinzenz Sarchen, Lisa Marie Reindl, Victoria Greze, Leon Buchinger, Michael Kuehn, Evelyn Ullrich
Summary: NK cells play a crucial role in cancer treatment, with their killing capacity determined by signals between NK cells and targeted tumor cells. Combining NK cell therapy with other agents can enhance therapeutic efficacy.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE-JMM
(2022)