Therapeutic potential of natural killer cells in neuroimmunological diseases

Qing Zhang; Jing Lin; Mengge Yang; Zhijun Li; Min Zhang; Bitao Bu

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (Apr 2024)

Therapeutic potential of natural killer cells in neuroimmunological diseases

Qing Zhang,
Jing Lin,
Mengge Yang,
Zhijun Li,
Min Zhang,
Bitao Bu

Affiliations

Qing Zhang: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
Jing Lin: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
Mengge Yang: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
Zhijun Li: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Correspondence to: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430030, China.
Min Zhang: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Correspondence to: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430030, China.
Bitao Bu: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Correspondence to: Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430030, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 173
p. 116371

Abstract

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Natural killer (NK) cells, a major component of the innate immune system, have prominent immunoregulatory, antitumor proliferation, and antiviral activities. NK cells act as a double-edged sword with therapeutic potential in neurological autoimmunity. Emerging evidence has identified NK cells are involved in the development and progression of neuroimmunological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, autoimmune encephalitis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, myasthenia gravis, and idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. However, the regulatory mechanisms and functional roles of NK cells are highly variable in different clinical states of neuroimmunological diseases and need to be further determined. In this review, we summarize the evidence for the heterogenic involvement of NK cells in the above conditions. Further, we describe cutting-edge NK-cell-based immunotherapy for neuroimmunological diseases in preclinical and clinical development and highlight challenges that must be overcome to fully realize the therapeutic potential of NK cells.

Published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

ISSN: 0753-3322 (Print); 1950-6007 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: France
LCC subjects: Medicine: Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biomedicine-and-pharmacotherapy

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Abstract

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