Natural killer cell immunosenescence in acute myeloid leukaemia patients: new targets for immunotherapeutic strategies?

• Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy Vol. 65; no. 4; pp. 453 - 463
• Main Authors: Sanchez-Correa, Beatriz, Campos, Carmen, Pera, Alejandra, Bergua, Juan M., Arcos, Maria Jose, Bañas, Helena, Casado, Javier G., Morgado, Sara, Duran, Esther, Solana, Rafael, Tarazona, Raquel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Aged; Aging; Aging - immunology; Cancer; Cancer Research; CD56 Antigen - immunology; CD56 Antigen - metabolism; Cells; Cytokines; Cytomegalovirus; Cytotoxicity; Glycoproteins; Humans; Immunoglobulins; Immunology; Immunosenescence; Immunotherapy; Immunotherapy, Adoptive - methods; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Killer Cells, Natural - metabolism; Killer Cells, Natural - transplantation; Leukemia; Leukemia, Myeloid - immunology; Leukemia, Myeloid - metabolism; Leukemia, Myeloid - therapy; Leukocytes; Ligands; Lymphocytes; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Models, Immunological; Older people; Oncology; Proteins; Symposium-in-Writing Paper; Tumors; Spain; AML; DNAM-1; NK cells; NKp46; Ageing; NKp30
• ISSN: 0340-7004; 1432-0851
• DOI: 10.1007/s00262-015-1720-6

Several age-associated changes in natural killer (NK) cell phenotype have been reported that contribute to the defective NK cell response observed in elderly patients. A remodelling of the NK cell compartment occurs in the elderly with a reduction in the output of immature CD56 bright cells and an accumulation of highly differentiated CD56 dim NK cells. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is generally a disease of older adults. NK cells in AML patients show diminished expression of several activating receptors that contribute to impaired NK cell function and, in consequence, to AML blast escape from NK cell immunosurveillance. In AML patients, phenotypic changes in NK cells have been correlated with disease progression and survival. NK cell-based immunotherapy has emerged as a possibility for the treatment of AML patients. The understanding of age-associated alterations in NK cells is therefore necessary to define adequate therapeutic strategies in older AML patients.