Therapeutic Potential of Stem Cells in Natural Killer–Like B Cell–Associated Diseases

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells possessing a remarkable capacity to develop into multiple cell types. NKB cells, referred to “natural killer–like B cells,” are recently identified subtype of B lymphocytes possessing characteristics that are similar to both natural killer (NK) cells and regular B lymphocytes. NK cells are lymphocyte-like in structure and cytotoxic in nature participating in the immediate immune response to the infected or malignant cells, whereas B lymphocytes produce antibodies and participate in adaptive immune response by binding to the specific antigen. The identification of NKB cells brings up new possibilities for studying and perhaps modulating immune responses in a variety of diseases, particularly those associated with microbial infections or inflammatory responses. Further, correlation of NKB cells with interleukins allows us to understand the molecular mechanism of diseases. Stem cell research offers a better understanding of NKB cell participation and provides new insights for novel treatment methods wherein mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have found to be the most promising stem cell showing positive outcomes in NKB cell–associated inflammatory diseases. Additionally, the perceptions acquired from researching NKB cells in diverse diseases leads to innovative treatment options, improving our capacity to control and cure immunological dysregulation-related ailments.