Involvement of natural killer cells in endogenous biological retranslation

Analysis of functional properties of natural killer cells displayed in reactions of natural cytotoxicity and noncytotoxic regulatory intercellular interactions suggests that this population of lymphocytes is involved in endogenous biological retranslation. In the immune system, retranslation is the production of regulatory immunoactive cytokines by a cell, cellular complex, or functional complex. The substances produced are identical to those affecting these structures. Various forms of endogenous biological retranslation in humans and higher animals, as well as its phylogenetic and ontogenetic manifestations (on the basis of noncytotoxic regulatory interactions of natural killer cells with cells of lymphoid or nonlymphoid nature) during evolution of the complex of immunobiological surveillance are considered. The axiomatic basis of retranslation realized through the system of natural cytotoxicity was established. Prospects for application of the methodology of endogenous biological retranslation to experimental and clinical studies of functioning of natural killer cells are considered. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 126, No. 8, pp. 124–135, August, 1998