About this Research Topic
KIRs play an essential role in the regulation of NK activity, allowing NK cells to sense and respond to HLA class I downregulation, a major mechanism for viruses and tumors to escape T cell control. Although NK-cell mediated immunity can contribute to viral control and clearance during the initial acute phase of these infections, extensive activation of NK cells during acute infection and persistent stimulation during chronic infection might contribute to virus-associated pathology. Increasing insight is gained in the function of cells expressing specific KIRs. As KIRs exhibit substantial genetic diversity, there is significant variation in the NK cell repertoire between individuals and between populations. Together with the highly diverse HLA locus, this leads to a multitude of possible KIR:HLA combinations.
There is increasing evidence from epidemiological and functional studies that NK cells may play an important role in the early response to viral infections, through killing of virus-infected cells and modulation of adaptive immunity. The mechanisms how NK cells contribute to the establishment of a strong and effective adaptive immune response are beginning to unravel and understanding the impact of interplay between NK and other immune cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs) and CD4+ T cells, to shape adaptive T-cell responses has become an important research focus.
In this research topic we aim to provide insight in the latest aspects of NK cell and T-cell immunity to viruses, and their interaction, focusing on the role of specific HLA-molecules and KIR alleles. Strong HLA-associations have been found in the past decades for a number of infectious diseases and similar associations with KIR molecules are becoming apparent. The effect of these associations on specific immune responses and the interplay between HLA and KIR molecules is an emerging research area.
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