Natural killer cells in the lung: novel insight and future challenge in the airway diseases
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphoid cells which are present in the lung as circulating and resident cells. They are key players both in airway surveillance and in crosstalk with (COPD) pathogenesis, and they seem to contribute to the development of bronchiectasis. In asthma, NK cell dysfun...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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European Respiratory Society
2025-03-01
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| Series: | ERJ Open Research |
| Online Access: | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/11/2/00683-2024.full |
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| author | Tommaso Pianigiani Irene Paggi Grace E. Cooper Karl J. Staples Melissa McDonnell Laura Bergantini |
| author_facet | Tommaso Pianigiani Irene Paggi Grace E. Cooper Karl J. Staples Melissa McDonnell Laura Bergantini |
| author_sort | Tommaso Pianigiani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphoid cells which are present in the lung as circulating and resident cells. They are key players both in airway surveillance and in crosstalk with (COPD) pathogenesis, and they seem to contribute to the development of bronchiectasis. In asthma, NK cell dysfunction was observed mainly in severe forms, and it can lead to a biased type-2 immune response and failure in the resolution of eosinophilic inflammation that characterise both allergic and eosinophilic phenotypes. Moreover, aberrant NK cell functions may interfere with antimicrobial immune response contributing to the frequency and severity of virus-induced exacerbations. In COPD, lung NK cells exhibit increased cytotoxicity against lung epithelium contributing to lung tissue destruction and emphysema. This cell destruction may be exacerbated by viral infections and cigarette smoke exposure through NKG2D-dependent detection of cellular stress. Lastly, in bronchiectasis, the airway NK cells might both promote neutrophil survival following stimulation by proinflammatory cytokines and promote neutrophil apoptosis. Systemic steroid treatment seemingly compromises NK activity, while biologic treatment with benralizumab could enhance NK cell proliferation, maturation and activation. This narrative review gives an overview of NK cells in airway diseases focusing on pathophysiological and clinical implications. Together, our findings emphasise the pleiotropic role of NK cells in airway diseases underscoring their possible implications as to therapeutical approaches. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dea0aed442bf4db4b2a646437eabc14c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2312-0541 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | European Respiratory Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ERJ Open Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-dea0aed442bf4db4b2a646437eabc14c2025-08-20T03:11:29ZengEuropean Respiratory SocietyERJ Open Research2312-05412025-03-0111210.1183/23120541.00683-202400683-2024Natural killer cells in the lung: novel insight and future challenge in the airway diseasesTommaso Pianigiani0Irene Paggi1Grace E. Cooper2Karl J. Staples3Melissa McDonnell4Laura Bergantini5 Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, Siena University Hospital, Siena, Italy Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, Siena University Hospital, Siena, Italy Clinical & Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK Clinical & Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK Department of Respiratory Medicine, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, Siena University Hospital, Siena, Italy Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphoid cells which are present in the lung as circulating and resident cells. They are key players both in airway surveillance and in crosstalk with (COPD) pathogenesis, and they seem to contribute to the development of bronchiectasis. In asthma, NK cell dysfunction was observed mainly in severe forms, and it can lead to a biased type-2 immune response and failure in the resolution of eosinophilic inflammation that characterise both allergic and eosinophilic phenotypes. Moreover, aberrant NK cell functions may interfere with antimicrobial immune response contributing to the frequency and severity of virus-induced exacerbations. In COPD, lung NK cells exhibit increased cytotoxicity against lung epithelium contributing to lung tissue destruction and emphysema. This cell destruction may be exacerbated by viral infections and cigarette smoke exposure through NKG2D-dependent detection of cellular stress. Lastly, in bronchiectasis, the airway NK cells might both promote neutrophil survival following stimulation by proinflammatory cytokines and promote neutrophil apoptosis. Systemic steroid treatment seemingly compromises NK activity, while biologic treatment with benralizumab could enhance NK cell proliferation, maturation and activation. This narrative review gives an overview of NK cells in airway diseases focusing on pathophysiological and clinical implications. Together, our findings emphasise the pleiotropic role of NK cells in airway diseases underscoring their possible implications as to therapeutical approaches.http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/11/2/00683-2024.full |
| spellingShingle | Tommaso Pianigiani Irene Paggi Grace E. Cooper Karl J. Staples Melissa McDonnell Laura Bergantini Natural killer cells in the lung: novel insight and future challenge in the airway diseases ERJ Open Research |
| title | Natural killer cells in the lung: novel insight and future challenge in the airway diseases |
| title_full | Natural killer cells in the lung: novel insight and future challenge in the airway diseases |
| title_fullStr | Natural killer cells in the lung: novel insight and future challenge in the airway diseases |
| title_full_unstemmed | Natural killer cells in the lung: novel insight and future challenge in the airway diseases |
| title_short | Natural killer cells in the lung: novel insight and future challenge in the airway diseases |
| title_sort | natural killer cells in the lung novel insight and future challenge in the airway diseases |
| url | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/11/2/00683-2024.full |
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