Innate Lymphoid Cells and Natural Killer Cells in Bacterial Infections: Function, Dysregulation, and Therapeutic Targets

Overview

Journal Front Cell Infect Microbiol

Specialties Cell Biology
Infectious Diseases
Microbiology

Date 2021 Nov 22

PMID 34804991

Citations 11

Authors

Noha Mousaad Elemam

Rakhee K Ramakrishnan

Jennifer E Hundt

Rabih Halwani

Azzam A Maghazachi

Qutayba Hamid

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Infectious diseases represent one of the largest medical challenges worldwide. Bacterial infections, in particular, remain a pertinent health challenge and burden. Moreover, such infections increase over time due to the continuous use of various antibiotics without medical need, thus leading to several side effects and bacterial resistance. Our innate immune system represents our first line of defense against any foreign pathogens. This system comprises the innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), including natural killer (NK) cells that are critical players in establishing homeostasis and immunity against infections. ILCs are a group of functionally heterogenous but potent innate immune effector cells that constitute tissue-resident sentinels against intracellular and extracellular bacterial infections. Being a nascent subset of innate lymphocytes, their role in bacterial infections is not clearly understood. Furthermore, these pathogens have developed methods to evade the host immune system, and hence permit infection spread and tissue damage. In this review, we highlight the role of the different ILC populations in various bacterial infections and the possible ways of immune evasion. Additionally, potential immunotherapies to manipulate ILC responses will be briefly discussed.

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