Natural killer cell

Natural killer cells (NK) : are a type of lymphocyte :  innate immune system.

NK cells play a major role in the host-rejection of both tumours and virally infected cells.

NK cells are cytotoxic; small granules in their cytoplasm contain special proteins such as perforin and proteases known as granzymes.

:  release in close  to a cell for killing, perforin forms pores in the cell membrane of the target cell : the granzymes  can enter and  apoptosis.

NK  are activated in response to interferons or macrophage-derived cytokines.

Patients deficient in NK cells prove to be highly susceptible to early phases of herpes virus infection.

Natural killer cell deficiency

:inherited immune system disorder, patient has low or absent levels of a certain type of NK cells.

: five different genes have been shown to cause NK cell deficiency. Each of these genes is passed down as an autosomal recessive trait. 

these patients are vulnerable to infections. 

suffer from frequent infections, especially lung infections and herpes virus infections

Life expectancy :depending on how severe the deficiency.

The condition may lead to fatal infections and  increased of developing cancer.

Diagnosis:

DNA analysis

Natural killer cell count

Treatment:

no specific treatment for natural killer (NK) cell deficiency. Treatment focuses on curing infections associated with the disorder.