Review

Nature Reviews Cancer 2, 850-861 (November 2002) | doi:10.1038/nrc928

New aspects of natural-killer-cell surveillance and therapy of cancer

Mark J. Smyth1, Yoshihiro Hayakawa1, Kazuyoshi Takeda2 & Hideo Yagita2  About the authors

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Natural-killer (NK) cells form a first line of defence against pathogens or host cells that are stressed and/or cancerous. NK cells express surface receptors that receive signals from the environment and determine their response to foreign or malignant cells. NK cells respond to these signals by producing effector molecules that can both directly suppress tumour growth and convey important information to the rest of the immune system. We have only recently begun to appreciate the potential for NK cells to be rationally manipulated in the treatment of human cancers.

Author affiliations

  1. Cancer Immunology Laboratory, Trescowthick Research Laboratories, Research Division, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Locked Bag 1, A'Beckett Street, Melbourne 8006, Australia.
  2. Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan.

Correspondence to: Mark J. Smyth1 Email: m.smyth@pmci.unimelb.edu.au

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REFERENCE
Antigen Recognition by Lymphocytes
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Natural Killer (NK) Cells
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