Interleukin-21 Regulates Natural Killer Cell Responses During Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

Abstract

These findings suggest that activated T cells enhance NK cell responses to lyse Mtb-infected human monocytes and restrict Mtb growth in monocytes through IL-21 production. Interleukin-21-activated NK cells also enhance the immune response by augmenting IL-1β, IL-18, and MIP-1β production and reducing IL-10 production by monocytes in response to an intracellular pathogen.