• Molecules and Cells
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in innate immune system and tumor surveillance. NK cells are derived from $CD34^+$hematopoietic stem cells and undergo differentiation via precursor NK cells in bone marrow (BM) through sequential acquisition of functional surface receptors. During differentiation of NK cells, many factors are involved including cytokines, membrane factors and transcription factors as well as microenvironment of BM. NK cells express their own repertoire of receptors including activating and inhibitory receptors that bind to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I or class I-related molecules. The balance between activating and inhibitory receptors determines the function of NK cells to kill targets. Binding of NK cell inhibitory receptors to their MHC class I-ligand renders the target cells to be protected from NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Thus, NK cells are able to discriminate self from non-self through MHC class I-binding inhibitory receptor. Using intrinsic properties of NK cells, NK cells are emerging to apply as therapeutic agents against many types of cancers. Recently, NK cell alloactivity has also been exploited in killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor mismatched haploidentical stem cell transplantation to reduce the rate of relapse and graft versus host disease. In this review, we discuss the basic mechanisms of NK cell differentiation, diversity of NK cell receptors, and clinical applications of NK cells for anti-cancer immunotherapy.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.247-251
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• 2005

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are CD3 (-) CD14 (-) CD56 (+) lymphocytes. They play an important role in the body's innate immune response. They can induce spontaneous killing of cancer cells or virus-infected cells via the Fas/Fas ligand or the granzyme/perforin systems. The corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is an important regulator for the body's stress response. It promotes proliferation and migration of various cancer cells through the CRH type 1 receptor under stress, and also inhibits NK or T cell activity. However, the relationship of CRH and NK cell migration to the target has not been confirmed. Herein, we study the effect of CRH on NK cell migration. Methods: We used the human NK cell line, NK-92MI, and tested the expression of CRH receptor type 1 on NK-92MI by RT-PCR. This was to examine the effect of CRH on tumor and NK cell migration, thus NK cells (NK-92MI) were incubated with or without CRH and then each CRH treated cell's migration ability compared to that of the CRH untreated group. Results: We confirmed that CRH receptor type 1 is expressed in NK-92MI. CRH can decrease NK cell migration in a time-/dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: These data suggest CRH can inhibit NK cell migration to target cells.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.53-58
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• 2008

Background: Molecular mechanisms of natural killer (NK) cell development from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have not been clearly elucidated, although the roles of some genes in NK cell development have been reported previously. Thus, searching for molecules and genes related NK cell developmental stage is important to understand the molecular events of NK cell development. Methods: From our previous SAGE data-base, Gpnmb (Glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B) was selected for further analysis. We confirmed the level of mRNA and protein of Gpnmb through RT-PCR, quantitative PCR, and FACS analysis. Then we performed cell-based ELISA and FACS analysis, to know whether there are some molecules which can bind to Gpnmb. Using neutralizing antibody, we blocked the interaction between NK cells and OP9 cells, and checked IFN-${\gamma}$ production by ELISA kit. Results: Gpnmb expression was elevated during in vitro developmental stage and bound to OP9 cells, but not to NK precursor cells. In addition, we confirmed that the levels of Gpnmb were increased at NK precursor stage in vivo. We confirmed syndecan4 as a candidate of Gpnmb's binding molecule. When the interaction between NK cells and OP9 cells were inhibited in vitro, IFN-${\gamma}$ production from NK cells were reduced. Conclusion: Based on these observations, it is concluded that Gpnmb has a potential role in NK cell development from HSCs.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.371-375
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• 2023

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells and play important roles as the first immune cells to recognize and kill cancer. In patients with advanced and terminal cancer, NK cells are often inactivated, suggesting that NK cells may play important roles in cancer treatment. In particular, the proportion of NK cells among immune cells infiltrating tumor tissues is often low, which suggests that NK cells do not survive in tumor microenvironment (TME). In order to overcome these hurdles of NK cells in cancer treatment, it is critical to develop strategies that enhance the proliferation and cytolytic activity of NK cells. We applied Vemurafenib to NK cells and measured the degree of NK cell proliferation and functional activation. We obtained unexpected results of increased NK cell numbers and anti-tumor activity after Vemurafenib treatment. Although further investigation is required to uncover the detailed mechanisms, our results suggest that Vemurafenib is a promising candidate to increase the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy using NK cells.

• 약학회지
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• 제53권3호
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• pp.125-129
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• 2009

H2-M3 (M3) is a unique antigen presenting molecule which provides N-formylated peptide to certain type of T cells. Previous observation indicated that NK cell activity is significantly diminished during listerial infection in $H2-M3^{-/-}$ mice. To explore the possibility that M3 expression directly effect on NK cell activity, we measured NK cell activity with or without stimulation of N-formylated peptide on antigen presenting cells. Results indicated that the expression of M3 is not directly influence on NK cell activity. Further study will be focused on the indirect effect of M3 on regulating NK cell activity.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제12권6호
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• pp.240-246
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• 2012

Natural killer (NK) cells play a pivotal role in early surveillance against virus infection and cellular transformation, and are also implicated in the control of inflammatory response through their effector functions of direct lysis of target cells and cytokine secretion. NK cell activation toward target cell is determined by the net balance of signals transmitted from diverse activating and inhibitory receptors. A distinct feature of NK cell activation is that stimulation of resting NK cells with single activating receptor on its own cannot mount natural cytotoxicity. Instead, specific pairs of co-activation receptors are required to unleash NK cell activation via synergy- dependent mechanism. Because each co-activation receptor uses distinct signaling modules, NK cell synergy relies on the integration of such disparate signals. This explains why the study of the mechanism underlying NK cell synergy is important and necessary. Recent studies revealed that NK cell synergy depends on the integration of complementary signals converged at a critical checkpoint element but not on simple amplification of the individual signaling to overcome intrinsic activation threshold. This review focuses on the signaling events during NK cells activation and recent advances in the study of NK cell synergy.

• 대한기관식도과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기관식도과학회 1991년도 제25차 학술대회 연제순서 및 초록
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• pp.20-20
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• 1991

악성종양의 발생과 진행에 면역 방어기능이 중요한 역할을 하리라는 가설은 모두가 공감하는 사실이다. 이중 T-lymphocyte와 Natural killer cell (이하 NK cell이라함)은 종양 면역학에 특히 중요한 임파구로 이런 임파구의 혈액분포양상은 면역방어기능을 짐작할 수 있는 간접적인 자료가 될 수 있다. 저자들은 치료전 두경부 악성종양환자에서 혈액을 채취하여 T-lymphocyte와NK cell의 분포양상을 검사하고, 방사선치료 환자에서는 NK cell activity를 측정하였기에 다음과 같은 결과를 보고하는 바이다. 1) 두경부 악성 종양 환자군에서 CD3+ cell은 감소하고 NK cell은 증가하며 CD4/CD8 비율은 변화가 없었다. 2) 병변이 진행되면서 CD3+ cell과 CD4+ cell은 감소하고 NK cell은 증가하였으며 CD4/CD8 비율의 변화는 없었다. 3) 방사선치료에 의해 CD3+ cell과 CD4+ cell, CD4/CD8 비율은 감소하였고, NK cell과CD8+cell은 증가하였다. 4) 방사선치료에 의한 CD4/CD8 비율의 감소와, CD8+ cell의 증가는 NK cell의 증가에 의한 것이라 추정되고, NK cell을 제외하면 CB4/CD8 비율의 변화는 없었다. 5) 방사선치료 환자에서 NK cell activity는 증가하였고, 이런 증가가 T-lymphocyte기능의 감소를 보상해 주고 있었다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.397-404
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• 2022

Natural killer (NK) cell activity is more attenuated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients than normal. Hypoxic-inducible factor (HIF)-1α is highly expressed in tumors to maintain their metabolism in a hypoxic environment. The expression of HIF-1α in cancers can lead to cell growth, proliferation, invasion/metastasis and immune escape. Although apigenin, a flavonoid, is known to have various biological activities, it has not been demonstrated in NK cell immune activity in HCC cells. In this study, NK-92 cells were directly cocultured with HCC SK-Hep1 cells for 24 h to evaluate NK cell activity in HCC cells or HCC cells expressing HIF-1α by apigenin. NK cell cytotoxicity to HCC cells expressing HIF-1α was significantly increased, and NK cell-activating receptors, NKG2D, NKp30 and NKp44 were highly expressed. The activating effect of apigenin on NK cells substantially induced apoptosis in HCC cells expressing HIF-1α through high expression of CD95L on the surface of NK-92 cells. Moreover, apigenin excellently inhibited the level of TGF-β1 in a coculture of NK cells and HCC cells. In conclusion, apigenin seems to be a good compound that increases NK cell cytotoxicity to HCC cells by controlling HIF-1α expression.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.99-103
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• 2009

The in-vitro immunomodulatory function of murine natural-killer (NK) cells induced by red-ginseng acidic polysaccharide (RGAP) in ovariectomized (OVX) rats was examined in this study. The IL-2-induced NK cell activity was significantly decreased in the OVX rats compared to the sham groups, but the normally induced NK cell activity was not. RGAP, however, increased the NK cell activity in both groups, and this effect involved iNOS expression. The inhibition of iNOS activity did not increase the NK cell cytotoxicity by RGAP in the OVX rats. The data that were obtained also demonstrated that the expression of iNOS was increased in the spleen of the OVX rats. These results indicate that RGAP increases the tumoricidal activity of the NK cell in the OVX rats, which is a primed or activated state of innate immune cells resulting from the changes in cytokine production induced by estrogen-deficient stress. Therefore, RGAP has a synergistic effect on the NK cell activities, which are regulated by the iNOS signals in OVX rats. This suggests that RGAP is useful for potential therapeutic strategies as a nutrient in regulating the NK cells in OVX rats.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.119-129
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• 2008

목 적: 말초혈액 $CD56^+$ 자연살해세포 (natural killer cell)이 증가되어 있는 반복유산 환자들의 탈락막 $CD56^+/CD16^+$ 자연살해세포의 분포를 확인하고 말초혈액자연살해세포의 발현양상과 상관관계가 있는지 확인해 보고자 한다. 연구방법: 반복유산 환자 중 계류유산이 되어 자궁경부확장배출술과 배아 염색체검사를 시행하였던 환자 가운데 배아 염색체검사가 정상이고 말초혈액에서 자연살해세포 중 $CD56^+$ 자연살해세포가 증가된 환자들 29명을 대상으로 연구하였으며, 대조군으로는 배아 염색체검사가 비정상인 32명을 선택하였다. 이 환자들의 검체에서 착상부위를 포함한 자궁 탈락막세포를 확인하여 면역조직화학염색을 통해 $CD56^+$와 $CD16^+$ 자연살해세포의 분포를 확인하였다. 면역조직화학염색은 score와 백분율을 구하여 평가하였다. 결 과: 연구군과 대조군의 탈락막조직 $CD56^+$ 자연살해세포 score ($43.6{\pm}24.5$ vs. $23.9{\pm}16.3$ P =0.001)와 $CD56^+$ NK cell percentage ($42.1{\pm}11.7$ vs. $33.9{\pm}15.8$ P =0.027)는 유의한 차이가 있었다. 그러나 탈락막조직 $CD16^+$ NK cell score ($18.7{\pm}9.5$ vs. $13.2{\pm}39.4$ P =0.108)와 $CD16^+$ 자연살해세포 percentage ($24.7{\pm}5.9$ vs. $23.4{\pm}11.7$ P =0.599)는 통계학적으로 유의한 차이가 없었다. 말초혈액자연살해세포가 증가되어 있는 환자군에서 탈락막자연살해세포의 score와 말초혈액자연살해 세포의 백분율간에 직접적인 상관관계는 없었다 (peripheral $CD56^+$ NK cell percentage vs. decidual $CD56^+$ NK cell score, r=-0.016, P =0.932, peripheral $CD16^+$ NK cell percentage vs. decidual $CD16^+$ NK cell score, r=0.008, P =0.968). 결 론: 본 연구에서는 말초혈액 CD56^+ 자연살해세포가 증가되어 있는 반복유산 환자의 계류유산된 조직에서 탈락막 $CD56^+$ 자연살해세포가 증가되어 있다는 것을 보여 주었다. 또한 탈락막자연살해세포와 말초혈액자연살해세포의 증가 양상에서는 직접적인 상관관계는 없었다. 이는 탈락막자연살해세포가 반복유산의 면역학적인 기전에서 중요한 역할을 할 것이라는 가능성을 제시하여 준다.