Skip to main content
Fig. 1 | Retrovirology

Fig. 1

From: Insufficient natural killer cell responses against retroviruses: how to improve NK cell killing of retrovirus-infected cells

Fig. 1

NK cell influencing factors. cGAS, TLR7 and TLR3 are important for the sensing of retroviruses. The sensing results in the production of cytokines that stimulate NK cell responses. NK cells represent an important immune cell subset, which contributes to the control of retroviral infections. Retroviruses can actively suppress molecular or cellular factors that are required for NK cell activation. Immunosuppressive cytokines such as TGF-β or cytokine deprivation by Tregs also suppress NK cell effector functions. NK cell activity can be enhanced by therapeutic stimulation with exogenous cytokines (IL-2, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18) and by IFNα/β. cGAS cyclic GMP-AMP synthase, TLR toll-like receptors, IL interleukin, IFN interferon, TGF transforming growth factor

Back to article page