Natural killer cell cytotoxic effectors

Natural killer cell cytotoxic effectors refer to the set of molecules and cellular pathways through which NK cells mediate destruction of target cells. The main effectors include cytotoxic granules containing perforin and granzymes, which induce target cell apoptosis via granule exocytosis; death receptor ligands such as Fas ligand (FasL) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), which engage death receptors on target cells leading to programmed cell death; and engagement of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) via the CD16 (FcγRIII) receptor, resulting in the killing of antibody-coated cells. NK cell cytotoxicity is a core mechanism in immune defense against infected or transformed cells and is essential in cancer surveillance, infection control, and in modulating immune responses, but this functional umbrella is not itself a discrete molecular target[1][2][3][7][8].

Other names

NK cell cytotoxic moleculesNK cell effector mediatorsNK cell cytotoxic mechanismsnatural killer cell cytotoxicity mediators

Granule exocytosis induction (perforin/granzyme pathway); Death receptor activation (via Fas ligand, TRAIL); Enhancement of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC, via CD16/Fc receptor)