Natural Killer Cell Function, an Important Target for Infection and Tumor Protection, Is Impaired in Type 2 Diabetes

Patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) are highly susceptible to infection and have an increased incidence of some tumors, possibly due to immune system dysfunction. In the innate cellular immune system, Natural Killer (NK) lymphocytes are important effectors responsible for controlling infections and combating tumor development. We analyzed NK cell subsets in 51 patients with long-standing T2D. Compared with healthy blood donors, diabetic patients showed a profound decrease in both NKG2D-positive NK cells (44% vs. 55.5%, Pvs. 50%, Pvs. 15.8%, Pin vitro by stimulating NK cells from T2D patients with IL-15 (Pin vitro in normal NK cells and that tunicamycin treatment resulted in a significant decrease in NKG2D expression (P