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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Identification of Mediators of T-cell Receptor Signaling via the Screening of Chemical Inhibitor Libraries
Published on: January 22, 2019
NK cell regulation of T cell-mediated responses
Alessandra Zingoni1, Thierry Sornasse, Benjamin G Cocks
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cancer Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. alessandra.zingoni@uniroma1.it
Abstract:
NK cells promote adaptive immune responses through their production of type 1 and type 2 cytokines or chemokines. Secretion of these factors by activated NK cells influences the differentiation of B and T lymphocytes. Increasing evidence indicates that NK cells are also directly involved in dendritic cell (DC) maturation. By contrast, a potential role for direct cell-cell interactions between NK and T lymphocytes, in particular CD4(+) T cells, has not been explored. We provide evidence that activated human NK cells are able of promoting TcR-dependent proliferation of resting autologous peripheral blood CD4(+) T cells by a process that involves costimulatory molecules of the immunoglobulin (Ig) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamilies. These findings suggest a novel link between natural and adaptative immune responses.
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