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Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Preparation and Use of HIV-1 Infected Primary CD4+ T-Cells as Target Cells in Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxic Assays
Published on: March 14, 2011
What is going on with natural killer cells in HIV infection?
Ilana Dines1, Vivian M Rumjanek, Pedro Muanis Persechini
1Laboratório Multidisciplinar de Pesquisa, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. idines@biof.ufrj.br
Abstract:
Natural killer (NK) cells represent 10-15% of circulating lymphocytes and are important mediators of both natural and adaptive immunity. They participate in immune surveillance against malignancies and virus infection and are involved in the complex immune responses of transplantation, autoimmune diseases and immunosuppression. They can also mediate physiological regulation of hematopoiesis, homeostasis of reproduction and placentation. In recent years new advances have been achieved in understanding the mechanisms whereby NK cells exert their cytotoxic and regulatory roles. Here, we review the physiology of NK cells with special attention to its role in HIV infection.
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