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Killer cells: lytic signalling pathways and regulation Volume 10, issue 5, Septembre-octobre 2004

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Authors
Inserm U 487, Institut Gustave Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France

A proper immune response requires the balanced participation of several immune cell types, including T lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells. Over the past fifteen years, significant progress has been made toward understanding the mechanisms that trigger their relative contribution to immune response against tumour cells. In this review, we will first discuss the recent advances in the molecular and cellular pathways underpinning the cytotoxic effector function of lymphocytes. Then we will describe some mechanisms associated with the acquisition of this tumour resistance and the alteration of T cell function. Given the plasticity of cancer cells and the balance between pro and anti tumour activity of the same effector pathways, understanding tumour escape from immunosurveillance remains a major challenge for clinical applications or immunotherapy in cancer treatment.