Fig. 2.

The interplay of NK and other immune cells in anti-tumour responses. Endogenous and/or adoptively transferred autologous NK cells can be stimulated by immunoligands (1) and/or KIR blocking antibodies (2). Therapeutic antibodies such as cetuximab (anti-EGFR antibody) can induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) (3). Other possible strategy is cellular therapy with allogeneic NK cells with KIR-HLA mismatch approach (graft vs. tumour effect, GvT) (4). Stimulated and/or alloreactive NK cells are able to directly kill the tumour cells, as well as to secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFNγ to further stimulate other immune cells: macrophages, microglia (5) and T cells (6). NK cells may play an important role in DC vaccination due to DC-NK cell cross-talk further stimulating anti-tumour immune response (7). Stimulated macrophages, microglia and DC can present tumour-associated antigens (8) and induce CTLs-mediated cytotoxicity (9). + activating receptor, L: ligand