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NK cells join the plasticity party

The cytokine TGF-β allows tumors to evade the immune system by converting conventional natural killer cells into type 1 innate lymphoid cells devoid of cytotoxic function.

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Figure 1: TGF-β converts NK cells into iILC1s–ILC1-like cells via non-canonical signaling pathways negatively regulated by SMAD4.

Debbie Maizels/Springer Nature

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Correspondence to Alison A Humbles.

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J.S.S. and A.A.H. are full-time employees of MedImmune and hold shares in AstraZeneca.

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Silver, J., Humbles, A. NK cells join the plasticity party. Nat Immunol 18, 959–960 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.3817

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