INTRODUCTION:

The diversity of infiltrating stromal cells occurring in human cancers exceeds 30 distinct subgroups, reflecting the huge complexity of the tumour microenvironment (TME), thereby deeply affecting the treatment option for each patient. Attempts have been made to distil this out-of-order situation into a unifying method to better describe actual composition of the TME using both multi-omics and experimental technologies, shedding light on cancer biology. This trend led to a transition in cancer treatment from only targeting tumour cells (like traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy) to a new generation of approaches emphasizing the modulation of endogenous immune response toward cancer.

The immune system can be generally divided into the innate and adaptive immune systems, both contributing to the recognition and removal of foreign pathogens as well as tumours. Adaptive immunity is mainly composed of cells represented by T and B lymphocytes, which harbor an enormous repertoire of T-cell and B-cell receptors, respectively, that can respond specifically to different antigens in the body. Current immunotherapeutic methods mainly focus on T lymphocytes, especially restoring exhausted CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (CTLs).

DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL KILLER CELLS:

NK cells possess cytotoxic abilities similar to CD8+ T cells functioning in the adaptive immunity but lack CD3 and the T cell receptors (TCRs). Largely circulating in blood and counting for about 5–10% of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), NK cells are found in bone marrow and lymphoid tissues such as the spleen. Similar to other ILCs, NK cells are originated from common lymphoid progenitor (CLP) cells in bone marrow with an average renewal cycle of about 2 weeks. During development, a process termed education, which describes the interaction of NK cells expressing immune-receptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIMs) with major histo-compatibility complex-I (MHC-I), helps NK cells become licensed and avoid attacking healthy normal cells. Interestingly, tumour cells always lack or only express low levels of MHC-I to evade CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, whereas licensed NK cells are fully activated. However, tumour cells also express molecules that activate NK cells, e.g., MHC class I polypeptide-related sequence A (MICA) and MICB, supporting the use of NK cells as anti-cancer agents. In addition, unlicensed NK cells also play important roles in the body, e.g., eliminating murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection and MHC-I+ cells

Development and subgroups of NK cells. In bone marrow, NK cells develop from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) through common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs) and NK cell precursors (NKPs), and then migrate to peripheral blood (cNK cells) or tissue (trNK cells). The differentiation of trNK-cells occurs in distinct tissue sites, including the lung, thymus, liver, uterus, skin, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and kidney. In these sites, NK cells have different phenotypic features and functions, which constitute the circulation of NK cells at different stages of maturation. CLA, cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen; CCR8, C-C motif chemokine receptor 8; GATA3, GATA binding protein 3; CXCR6, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 6; KIR, killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor; CILCP, common innate-like cell precursor.

Our Journal is planning to release a year end special issue has announced almost 50% discount on article publication charges to celebrate its journey for publishing articles with in the short time.

The Journal will publish original articles, reviews, technical notes, editorials, news and views (commentaries, science policy issues, ethical and legal issues, patient organizations, industry needs and alliances, regulatory issues, etc.), and letters to the editor.

The Journal invites different types of articles including original research article, review articles, short note communications, case reports, Editorials, letters to the Editors and expert opinions & commentaries from different regions for publication.

 The Journals includes around 150Abstracts and 100 Keynote speakers have given their valuable words. The meet has provided a great scope for interaction of professionals including in addition to clinical experts and top-level pathologists and scientists from around the globe, on a single platform.

Media Contact:
ALPINE
Managing Editor
Journal of Molecular Oncology Research
Email: oncology@openaccessjournal.org