PD-1 Expression on NK Cells in Malaria-Exposed Individuals Is Associated with Diminished Natural Cytotoxicity and Enhanced Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity

Abstract

Natural killer (NK) cells are key effector cells of innate resistance capable of destroying tumors and virus-infected cells through cytotoxicity and rapid cytokine production. The control of NK cell responses is complex and only partially understood. PD-1 is an inhibitory receptor that regulates T cell function, but a role for PD-1 in regulating NK cell function is only beginning to emerge.