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Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of memory NK cell responses
Author(s) -
Beaulieu Aimee M.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1111/imr.12947
Subject(s) - biology , effector , epigenetics , cytotoxic t cell , innate immune system , immunology , immune system , antigen , innate lymphoid cell , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , genetics , in vitro
Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic innate lymphocytes with key roles in host protection against viruses and malignancy. Notwithstanding their historical classification as innate immune cells, NK cells are now understood to have some capacity to mount memory or memory‐like immune responses in which effector cells undergo antigen‐driven expansion and give rise to long‐lived memory cells with enhanced functionality. Understanding how antigen‐specific effector and memory NK responses are regulated is an important and active area of research in the field. Here, we discuss key transcription factors and epigenetic processes involved in antigen‐specific effector and memory NK cell differentiation.