AUTHOR=Mahaweni Niken M. , Ehlers Femke A. I. , Bos Gerard M. J. , Wieten Lotte 

TITLE=Tuning Natural Killer Cell Anti-multiple Myeloma Reactivity by Targeting Inhibitory Signaling via KIR and NKG2A

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.02848

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2018.02848

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>Natural killer (NK) cells are attractive candidates for allogeneic cell-based immunotherapy due to their potent antitumor effector function and good safety profile. NK cells express killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and the NKG2A receptor important for NK cells education as well as providing inhibitory signals upon encountering HLA-expressing target cells. Multiple myeloma (MM) is an example of a tumor expressing relatively high levels of HLA molecules. In this review, we discuss the functional relevance of inhibitory KIRs and NKG2A for NK cells anti-MM response and strategies to lower these inhibitory signaling to enhance clinical efficacy of allogeneic NK cells in MM.</p>