tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Gen Virol. 2015 Sep 4. doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.000276. [Epub ahead of print]
[h=1]Natural Killer Cells are involved in Thymic Atrophy induced by Influenza A Virus Infection.[/h] Duan X[SUP]1[/SUP], Lu J[SUP]2[/SUP], Zhou K[SUP]3[/SUP], Wang J[SUP]4[/SUP], Wu J[SUP]5[/SUP], Gao GF[SUP]6[/SUP], Fang M[SUP]7[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] Natural killer (NK) cells have traditionally been viewed as innate effector lymphocytes that serve as a first-line defense against a range of viruses and tumors. More recently, the importance of NK cell immunoregulatory functions has been highlighted. NK cells can inhibit antiviral T cell responses and also play an important role in controlling harmful T cell activity in autoimmunity and transplantation settings. Moreover, immunopathological effects of NK cells during infection have been reported. Nevertheless, the phenotype and function of NK cells in the thymus during influenza virus infection is not understood. In the present study, we demonstrated that influenza A virus (IAV) infection in mice led to severe thymic atrophy caused by increased thymic T cell apoptosis and suppressed proliferation. We found that NK cells played a critical role in this phenotype. IFN-γ production by NK cells was a contributing factor for thymic atrophy during IAV infection. Taken together, our data indicate that NK cells are involved in the thymic atrophy associated with IAV infection.
PMID: 26346306 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
[h=1]Natural Killer Cells are involved in Thymic Atrophy induced by Influenza A Virus Infection.[/h] Duan X[SUP]1[/SUP], Lu J[SUP]2[/SUP], Zhou K[SUP]3[/SUP], Wang J[SUP]4[/SUP], Wu J[SUP]5[/SUP], Gao GF[SUP]6[/SUP], Fang M[SUP]7[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] Natural killer (NK) cells have traditionally been viewed as innate effector lymphocytes that serve as a first-line defense against a range of viruses and tumors. More recently, the importance of NK cell immunoregulatory functions has been highlighted. NK cells can inhibit antiviral T cell responses and also play an important role in controlling harmful T cell activity in autoimmunity and transplantation settings. Moreover, immunopathological effects of NK cells during infection have been reported. Nevertheless, the phenotype and function of NK cells in the thymus during influenza virus infection is not understood. In the present study, we demonstrated that influenza A virus (IAV) infection in mice led to severe thymic atrophy caused by increased thymic T cell apoptosis and suppressed proliferation. We found that NK cells played a critical role in this phenotype. IFN-γ production by NK cells was a contributing factor for thymic atrophy during IAV infection. Taken together, our data indicate that NK cells are involved in the thymic atrophy associated with IAV infection.
PMID: 26346306 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]