Determining Endosomal Toll-Like Receptors Gene Expression in NK Cells After Stimulation with Specific Agonists

Claudia Alicata; Irene Veneziani; Biancamaria Ricci; Lorenzo Moretta; Enrico Maggi

doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-3366-3_8

Determining Endosomal Toll-Like Receptors Gene Expression in NK Cells After Stimulation with Specific Agonists

Methods Mol Biol. 2023:2700:151-162. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3366-3_8.

Authors

Claudia Alicata¹, Irene Veneziani², Biancamaria Ricci², Lorenzo Moretta², Enrico Maggi²

Affiliations

¹ Tumor Immunology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy. claudia.alicata@opbg.net.
² Tumor Immunology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 37603179
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3366-3_8

Abstract

Poor knowledge is currently available about the biology of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in natural killer (NK) cells. This is particularly due to the old belief that NK cells are unable to specifically eliminate microbes without presensitization. On the contrary, it has been clearly demonstrated that not only they can be activated through the engagement of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) by microbial molecules, but also that this interaction induces NK cells to release cytokines that, in turn, activate other cells of both innate and adaptive immunity. For this reason, immunotherapy based on local infusion of TLRs ligands is currently considered as a novel potential strategy to treat solid tumors. Here, we provide a protocol to efficiently stimulate NK cells via endosomal TLRs agonists and to determine endosomal TLRs gene expression level. This protocol can be used for in vitro investigation into endosomal TLRs function in NK cells under different conditions.

Keywords: NK cells; TLRs agonists; TLRs gene expression; TLRs triggering; Toll-like receptors.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adaptive Immunity
Endosomes*
Gene Expression
Killer Cells, Natural*
Toll-Like Receptors

Substances

Toll-Like Receptors