Dendritic cells, B cells, NK cells, and regulatory T-cell–related markers (N/A)

The term Dendritic cells, B cells, NK cells, and regulatory T-cell–related markers refers to a heterogeneous collection of proteins used to identify and characterize distinct functional subsets of the immune system. Dendritic cell markers, such as CD11c and HLA-DR, identify professional antigen-presenting cells that are essential for initiating adaptive immune responses (NIH, 2023). B-cell markers like CD19 and CD20 are integral to humoral immunity and serve as primary targets for monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of lymphomas and leukemias (PubMed, 2022). Natural Killer (NK) cell markers, including CD56 and CD16, define innate cytotoxic lymphocytes capable of recognizing and killing virally infected or malignant cells without prior sensitization. Regulatory T-cell (Treg) markers, most notably CD25 and the transcription factor FoxP3, identify cells responsible for maintaining peripheral tolerance and preventing autoimmunity (UniProt, 2024). While this entry does not represent a single therapeutic target, the individual markers within these categories are critical for immunophenotyping, patient stratification, and the development of targeted immunotherapies. Monitoring these markers allows clinicians to assess the immune microenvironment and the efficacy of treatments such as checkpoint inhibitors or CAR-T cell therapies.

Other names

Immune cell markersImmunophenotyping markersLeukocyte differentiation antigensLymphocyte and myeloid markers

As this is a collective group of markers rather than a single molecule, mechanisms of action vary by specific target; they include antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), and T-cell redirection to deplete or modulate specific immune cell subsets (PubMed, 2022).