Entry
Name
Natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity - Homo sapiens (human)
Description
Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes of the innate immune system that are involved in early defenses against both allogeneic (nonself) cells and autologous cells undergoing various forms of stress, such as infection with viruses, bacteria, or parasites or malignant transformation. Although NK cells do not express classical antigen receptors of the immunoglobulin gene family, such as the antibodies produced by B cells or the T cell receptor expressed by T cells, they are equipped with various receptors whose engagement allows them to discriminate between target and nontarget cells. Activating receptors bind ligands on the target cell surface and trigger NK cell activation and target cell lysis. However Inhibitory receptors recognize MHC class I molecules (HLA) and inhibit killing by NK cells by overruling the actions of the activating receptors. This inhibitory signal is lost when the target cells do not express MHC class I and perhaps also in cells infected with virus, which might inhibit MHC class I exprssion or alter its conformation. The mechanism of NK cell killing is the same as that used by the cytotoxic T cells generated in an adaptive immune response; cytotoxic granules are released onto the surface of the bound target cell, and the effector proteins they contain penetrate the cell membrane and induce programmed cell death.
Class
Organismal Systems; Immune system
BRITE hierarchy
Pathway map
hsa04650 Natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity
Ortholog table
Drug
D00745 Interferon alfa-2a (USAN/INN)
D00746 Interferon beta-1b (USAN/INN)
D00747 Interferon gamma-1b (USAN/INN)
D02744 Interferon alfacon-1 (USAN/INN)
D02745 Interferon alfa-2b (USAN)
D02747 Peginterferon alfa-2a (USAN/INN)
D02748 Peginterferon alfa-2b (USAN/INN)
D02811 Alicaforsen sodium (USAN)
D03305 Interferon alfa (NAMALWA) (JP18)
D03357 Interferon gamma-1a (genetical recombination) (JAN)
D03441 Certolizumab pegol (USAN/INN)
D04552 Interferon alfa-n1 (USAN)
D04553 Interferon alfa-n3 (USAN)
D04554 Interferon beta-1a (USAN)
D04687 Lenalidomide (JAN/USAN/INN)
D05480 Pimecrolimus (JAN/USAN/INN)
D08805 Interferon gamma-n1 (JAN)
D08844 Albinterferon alfa-2b (USAN)
D08976 Pomalidomide (JAN/USAN/INN)
D09033 Voclosporin (JAN/USAN/INN)
D09813 Lenalidomide hydrate (JAN)
D10392 Lifitegrast sodium (USAN)
D10483 Peginterferon beta-1a (USAN/INN)
D10993 Tucidinostat (JAN/USAN/INN)
D11027 Ropeginterferon alfa-2b (INN)
D12179 Tesnatilimab (USAN/INN)
D12954 Sovleplenib acetate (USAN)
Other DBs
Organism
Homo sapiens (human) [GN:
hsa ]
Gene
3105 HLA-A; major histocompatibility complex, class I, A [KO:K06751 ]
3106 HLA-B; major histocompatibility complex, class I, B [KO:K06751 ]
3107 HLA-C; major histocompatibility complex, class I, C [KO:K06751 ]
3133 HLA-E; major histocompatibility complex, class I, E [KO:K06751 ]
3135 HLA-G; major histocompatibility complex, class I, G [KO:K06751 ]
3821 KLRC1; killer cell lectin like receptor C1 [KO:K06541 ]
3824 KLRD1; killer cell lectin like receptor D1 [KO:K06516 ]
3383 ICAM1; intercellular adhesion molecule 1 [KO:K06490 ]
3384 ICAM2; intercellular adhesion molecule 2 [KO:K06523 ]
10451 VAV3; vav guanine nucleotide exchange factor 3 [KO:K05730 ]
7409 VAV1; vav guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 [KO:K05730 ]
7410 VAV2; vav guanine nucleotide exchange factor 2 [KO:K05730 ]
1437 CSF2; colony stimulating factor 2 [KO:K05427 ]
3822 KLRC2; killer cell lectin like receptor C2 [KO:K24233 ]
3823 KLRC3; killer cell lectin like receptor C3 [KO:K24233 ]
9436 NCR2; natural cytotoxicity triggering receptor 2 [KO:K06742 ]
7305 TYROBP; transmembrane immune signaling adaptor TYROBP [KO:K07992 ]
124905743 FCGR3B; low affinity immunoglobulin gamma Fc region receptor III-B [KO:K06463 ]
9437 NCR1; natural cytotoxicity triggering receptor 1 [KO:K06741 ]
259197 NCR3; natural cytotoxicity triggering receptor 3 [KO:K06743 ]
7535 ZAP70; zeta chain of T cell receptor associated protein kinase 70 [KO:K07360 ] [EC:2.7.10.2 ]
3937 LCP2; lymphocyte cytosolic protein 2 [KO:K07361 ]
27040 LAT; linker for activation of T cells [KO:K07362 ]
7462 LAT2; linker for activation of T cells family member 2 [KO:K26356 ]
6452 SH3BP2; SH3 domain binding protein 2 [KO:K07984 ]
5290 PIK3CA; phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha [KO:K00922 ] [EC:2.7.1.153 ]
5291 PIK3CB; phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta [KO:K00922 ] [EC:2.7.1.153 ]
5293 PIK3CD; phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit delta [KO:K00922 ] [EC:2.7.1.153 ]
5295 PIK3R1; phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 [KO:K02649 ]
5296 PIK3R2; phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 2 [KO:K02649 ]
8503 PIK3R3; phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 3 [KO:K02649 ]
2885 GRB2; growth factor receptor bound protein 2 [KO:K04364 ]
6654 SOS1; SOS Ras/Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 [KO:K03099 ]
6655 SOS2; SOS Ras/Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 2 [KO:K03099 ]
3265 HRAS; HRas proto-oncogene, GTPase [KO:K02833 ]
3845 KRAS; KRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase [KO:K07827 ]
4893 NRAS; NRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase [KO:K07828 ]
4277 MICB; MHC class I polypeptide-related sequence B [KO:K07985 ]
22914 KLRK1; killer cell lectin like receptor K1 [KO:K06728 ]
10870 HCST; hematopoietic cell signal transducer [KO:K07988 ]
5534 PPP3R1; protein phosphatase 3 regulatory subunit B, alpha [KO:K06268 ]
5535 PPP3R2; protein phosphatase 3 regulatory subunit B, beta [KO:K06268 ]
4772 NFATC1; nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 [KO:K04446 ]
4773 NFATC2; nuclear factor of activated T cells 2 [KO:K17332 ]
3459 IFNGR1; interferon gamma receptor 1 [KO:K05132 ]
3460 IFNGR2; interferon gamma receptor 2 [KO:K05133 ]
3454 IFNAR1; interferon alpha and beta receptor subunit 1 [KO:K05130 ]
3455 IFNAR2; interferon alpha and beta receptor subunit 2 [KO:K05131 ]
8743 TNFSF10; TNF superfamily member 10 [KO:K04721 ]
8795 TNFRSF10B; TNF receptor superfamily member 10b [KO:K04722 ]
8797 TNFRSF10A; TNF receptor superfamily member 10a [KO:K04722 ]
355 FAS; Fas cell surface death receptor [KO:K04390 ]
637 BID; BH3 interacting domain death agonist [KO:K04726 ]
135250 RAET1E; retinoic acid early transcript 1E [KO:K07987 ]
154064 RAET1L; retinoic acid early transcript 1L [KO:K07987 ]
353091 RAET1G; retinoic acid early transcript 1G [KO:K07987 ]
100132285 KIR2DS2; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and short cytoplasmic tail 2 [KO:K07982 ]
3802 KIR2DL1; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 1 [KO:K07981 ]
3803 KIR2DL2; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 2 [KO:K07981 ]
3804 KIR2DL3; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 3 [KO:K07981 ]
3805 KIR2DL4; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 4 [KO:K24231 ]
3806 KIR2DS1; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and short cytoplasmic tail 1 [KO:K07982 ]
3808 KIR2DS3; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and short cytoplasmic tail 3 [KO:K07982 ]
3809 KIR2DS4; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and short cytoplasmic tail 4 (gene/pseudogene) [KO:K07982 ]
3810 KIR2DS5; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and short cytoplasmic tail 5 [KO:K07982 ]
3811 KIR3DL1; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, three Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 1 [KO:K07980 ]
3812 KIR3DL2; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, three Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 2 [KO:K07980 ]
57292 KIR2DL5A; killer cell immunoglobulin like receptor, two Ig domains and long cytoplasmic tail 5A [KO:K24232 ]
Compound
C01245 D-myo-Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate
C05981 Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate
Reference
Authors
Chiesa S, Tomasello E, Vivier E, Vely F.
Title
Coordination of activating and inhibitory signals in natural killer cells.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Maghazachi AA.
Title
Insights into seven and single transmembrane-spanning domain receptors and their signaling pathways in human natural killer cells.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Vivier E, Nunes JA, Vely F.
Title
Natural killer cell signaling pathways.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Colucci F, Di Santo JP, Leibson PJ.
Title
Natural killer cell activation in mice and men: different triggers for similar weapons?
Journal
Reference
Authors
Perussia B.
Title
Signaling for cytotoxicity.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Smyth MJ, Cretney E, Kelly JM, Westwood JA, Street SE, Yagita H, Takeda K, van Dommelen SL, Degli-Esposti MA, Hayakawa Y.
Title
Activation of NK cell cytotoxicity.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Djeu JY, Jiang K, Wei S.
Title
A view to a kill: signals triggering cytotoxicity.
Journal
Clin Cancer Res 8:636-40 (2002)
Reference
Authors
Smyth MJ, Takeda K, Hayakawa Y, Peschon JJ, van den Brink MR, Yagita H.
Title
Nature's TRAIL--on a path to cancer immunotherapy.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Colonna M.
Title
Fine-tuning NK cell responses: it's a family affair.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Bonnema JD, Leibson PJ.
Title
Signal transduction during NK cell activation.
Journal
Chem Immunol 64:28-43 (1996)
Reference
Authors
Tassi I, Presti R, Kim S, Yokoyama WM, Gilfillan S, Colonna M.
Title
Phospholipase C-gamma 2 is a critical signaling mediator for murine NK cell activating receptors.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Rao A, Luo C, Hogan PG.
Title
Transcription factors of the NFAT family: regulation and function.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Wu J, Lanier LL.
Title
Natural killer cells and cancer.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Cerwenka A, Lanier LL.
Title
Natural killer cells, viruses and cancer.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Blott EJ, Griffiths GM.
Title
Secretory lysosomes.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Lieberman J.
Title
The ABCs of granule-mediated cytotoxicity: new weapons in the arsenal.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Lord SJ, Rajotte RV, Korbutt GS, Bleackley RC.
Title
Granzyme B: a natural born killer.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Liu D, Xu L, Yang F, Li D, Gong F, Xu T.
Title
Rapid biogenesis and sensitization of secretory lysosomes in NK cells mediated by target-cell recognition.
Journal
Reference
Authors
Trotta R, Puorro KA, Paroli M, Azzoni L, Abebe B, Eisenlohr LC, Perussia B.
Title
Dependence of both spontaneous and antibody-dependent, granule exocytosis-mediated NK cell cytotoxicity on extracellular signal-regulated kinases.
Journal
J Immunol 161:6648-56 (1998)
Reference
Authors
Jevremovic D, Billadeau DD, Schoon RA, Dick CJ, Leibson PJ.
Title
Regulation of NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity by the adaptor protein 3BP2.
Journal
Related pathway
hsa04060 Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction
KO pathway