Leukemia research
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
NK cell maturation to CD56(dim) subset associated with high levels of NCRs overrides the inhibitory effect of NKG2A and recovers impaired NK cell cytolytic potential after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
NK cell cytotoxicity against residual leukemic cells is crucial for immune system reconstitution after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Since immune recovery after transplant still remains a major concern, we studied the counterbalance of NK cell receptors after HSCT and its importance in NK cell functional recovery. We investigated NK cell reconstitution in 27 acute leukemia patients at different time points following HLA-matched allogeneic HSCT compared to those of donors. ⋯ All the abnormalities were normalized by one year after HSCT when CD56(bright) NK cells gradually differentiated into CD56(dim) subset. Collectively, we confirmed a gradual increase of CD56(dim) NK cells expressing NCRs with the significant decrease in NKG2A expression on NK cells. This finding was also associated with the recovery of NK cell cytotoxicity that suggests an important role for the kinetics of NK cell receptors during cell maturation in HSCT outcome.