A comparative study of the effects of inhibitory cytokines on human natural killer cells and the mechanistic features of transforming growth factor-beta

The major factors and mechanisms by which natural killer (NK) cells are inhibited in cancer patients have not yet been well defined. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the effects of TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-4 on primary NK cells, and it was demonstrated that (1) TGF-β most potently inhibited the overall function of NK cells. (2) It appears that TGF-β reduced the tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk and the expression of c-myc. (3) It...