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Review
. 2006 Mar;4(1):33-41.
doi: 10.3121/cmr.4.1.33.

Interactions between natural killer cells, cortisol and prolactin in malaria during pregnancy

Elie Mavoungou  1
Affiliations
Review

Interactions between natural killer cells, cortisol and prolactin in malaria during pregnancy

Elie Mavoungou. Clin Med Res. 2006 Mar.

Expression of concern in

Abstract

Natural killer cells derived from pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells are important cells of the immune system that have two main functions: a cytolytic activity and a cytokine-producing capacity. These functions are tightly regulated by numerous activating and inhibitory receptors, including newly discovered receptors that selectively trigger the cytolytic activity in a major histocompatibility complex independent manner. Based on their defining function of spontaneous cytotoxicity without prior immunization, natural killer (NK) cells have been thought to play a critical role in immune surveillance and cancer therapy. New insights into NK cell biology have suggested their major roles in the control of infections, particularly in Plasmodium falciparum infection and in fetal implantation. P. falciparum is the main protozoan parasite responsible for malaria causing 200-300 million clinical cases and killing over 3 million people each year. This review provides an update on NK cell function, ontogeny and biology in order to better understand the role of NK cells in pregnancy in regions where malaria is endemic. Understanding mechanisms of NK cell functions may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of human disease, in general, and particularly in the fight against malaria.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
NK cells function through a diverse repertoire of activating and inhibitory receptors. Activating receptor ligation triggers the cytotoxic mechanism, while inhibitory receptors protect from NK cell lysis. Since multiple receptors are involved between NK cells and their targets, the decision of whether or not to kill a target is the net sum of all receptor interactions, and inhibitory receptor signaling is dominant. Both classical and nonclassical class I MHC (left side) and non-MHC ligands (right side) are known for many NK cell receptors.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Specificity of NK cell function. In contrast to T cells, which require class I MHC to kill their targets, inhibitory KIRs have exactly the opposite effect.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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