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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

A Murine Model of Dengue Virus-induced Acute Viral Encephalitis-like Disease
Published on: April 28, 2019
The Role of Natural Killer (NK) Cells in Dengue Virus Infection: A Narrative Review
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Sylhet Bangladesh.
Background And Aims:
In the innate immune response, natural Killer (NK) cells have a significant role in protection against viral infections, including the Dengue virus (DENV). NK cells identify and eliminate virus-infected cells through diverse mechanisms, such as cytokine production, cytolytic activity, and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), thereby contributing to reducing viremia and regulating adaptive immunity in the context of DENV. This review summarises the biological mechanisms of NK-cell-mediated immune response against DENV, describes the viral evasion of NK immune protection and explores the insights for the immunotherapeutic approaches and drug development.
Methods:
To conduct this narrative review, we searched the literature on NK cell activation, receptor expression, cytokine responses, virus evasion strategies, and experimental or emerging therapeutic approaches in DENV.
Results:
NK cells recognise DENV through the interaction of inhibitory receptors along with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules, which in turn strengthens the ADCC response. DENV can apply virus evasion strategies for modulating NK cell-mediated immunity and reducing the antiviral effect. In addition, impaired and exhausted NK cell phenotypes are associated with the progression and severity of dengue syndromes.
Conclusion:
NK cells play a double-edged sword in protective response and immune function during DENV. A deeper understanding of their NK cell mechanism, subset heterogeneity, functional response, and evasion strategies governs key insights for vaccines and therapeutic strategies that prompt antiviral immune response.
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