Natural Killer Cells—Innate Cancer Defense Cells under the Influence of Metabolism and Aging

Dear Colleagues,

Natural killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes that mediate rapid innate immunity against tumor cells and viruses without prior sensitization. NK cells have been classified as one group out of five groups of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) developing from a common innate lymphoid progenitor on the bases of their transcription factor profile. NK cells mediate their cytotoxicity against target cells via two mechanisms: secretion of cytotoxic molecules or by death receptor-mediated apoptosis. The activity of NK cells is regulated by balancing signals of activating and inhibitory surface receptors. Increasing evidence indicates that NK cells can also remember prior exposure to haptens, viral antigens, or cytokine stimuli and exhibit memory properties in a manner similar to T and B lymphocytes. In the last decade, it has been demonstrated that metabolic disorders, such as obesity or aging, result in various alterations of NK cell functions.

The aim of this Special Issue is to focus on new evidence regarding NK cell dysfunction in obese and elderly humans, in order to learn more about immune cell dysfunctions as challenges in these specific cancer patient groups.

Prof. Dr. Heike Kielstein
Guest Editor

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• NK cells
• cancer
• obesity
• metabolic syndrome
• age
• immunosenescence
• cytotoxicity