The researchers of Trinity College Dublin based at St James’s Hospital have provided useful insights about the behaviour and metabolic function of *natural killer* immune cell resident in the lungs. Their findings have been published in the Journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They provide a base for further exploration of natural killer cells for development of future treatments and therapies for various lung diseases including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, cancer and tuberculosis. Natural killer cells are immune cells tasked wuth mediating early host defence. The human lung is normally low glucose but during infection, glucose becomes readily available and its rapid uptake enables immune system cells to fight off infections. NK cells that live long term in lung are called tissue resident.
Natural killer cells are white blood cells that work to destroy infected cells including lung cancer cells. They can destroy harmful cells in early stages and thus, preventing cancer cells from their spread. For the first time, researchers have shown that human tissue-resident Natural Killer cells in lungs are metabolically distinct from their counterparts circulating in the blood. In this study, the researchers have shown that lung resident NK cells are poised to rapidly respond to increased glucose. These cells exhibit a larger glycolytic capacity compared to non-tissue-resident NK cells. This allows them to generate energy more efficiently and resulting in swift immune response.
With the help of such studies, one gets understanding of the distinct metabolic profile of lung-resident NK cells. It also opens up new opportunities for investigating dysfunctional NK cells in respiratory diseases. The team’s findings show that lung resident NK cells are poised to rapidly respond to increased glucose in the environment, with enhanced ability to increase the metabolism of glucose to generate materials that NK cells need for an effective immune response.
The information shared in this blog is for educational purposes only. You should always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical needs.
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