Abstract
Introduction: Autoimmune diseases are complex conditions involving both genetic and environmental factors. Despite numerous studies on the role of immune cells, the exact mechanisms underlying autoimmunity remain uncertain.
Role of NK cells in autoimmunity: Understanding the interplay between cells and cytokines in promoting autoimmunity holds great promise for research. Natural Killer (NK) cells play a significant role in innate immunity by targeting and eliminating cells without the need for prior antigen exposure. Initially, NK cells were thought to contribute to suppressing the immune response due to their potent cytolytic activities.
Recent Advances: Recent research, however, has highlighted their involvement in autoimmunity, particularly through their allele-specific receptors that interact with specific alleles of HLA, contributing to self-tolerance in the immune system's normal development. The role of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) in autoimmune diseases has been emphasized in this review.
Further research: Studies among different ethnic groups have produced inconsistent results, calling for further research to evaluate the functional impact of the KIR gene cluster on various autoimmune diseases. It's crucial to understand receptor-ligand interactions in the context of autoimmunity to uncover how HLA-KIR genotypes act in susceptible or protective ways. Insights gained from such studies may also inform the development of effective treatment approaches.