NK cell receptors in antiviral immunity

An array of inhibitory and activating receptors initially identified on NK cells are also expressed by conventional CD8 + αβ T cells. New evidence strongly implicates these ‘NK cell receptors’ in modulating NK cell and virus-specific CD8 + T cell responses against a variety of viral infections. Precise regulation of NK cell and T cell responses by these receptors optimizes antiviral immunity while preventing immunological bystander pathology and autoimmunity. Mounting evidence strongly indicates that inhibitory and activating NK cell receptors expressed on NK cells and T cells play essential roles in regulating immunity to viral infection.