Mechanisms of Cytotoxic Lymphocyte-Mediated Apoptosis and Relationship with the Tumor Suppressor p53.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells are key effector cells in the immune response against intracellular infection and transformed cells. These killer cells induce multiple programs of cell death to achieve their function of eliminating their targets. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the signaling pathways involved in target cells apoptosis triggered by the cytotoxic effector cells. We also discuss the role of an important player in the field of apoptosis, the well-known p53 tumor suppressor, in the modulation of cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated cell death.