Activation, proliferation, and exhaustion of the CD56^dim NK compartment in the NK^imm group. Extended NK-cell phenotype analysis by flow and mass cytometry. (A) Ki-67⁺ and Tim-3⁺ cells in NKG2A^+/−CD57^+/− CD56^dim NK-cell subsets. (B) Bcl-2 to BIM ratio in CD56^bright and CD56^dim NK cells and in panel C, based on Ki-67 expression in CD56^dim cells. (D-E) NK-cell subset responses to K562 tumor target cells in terms of degranulation (CD107a), interferon-γ production, and specific killing of target cells by NK cells among PBMCs, as judged by Dead Cell Marker⁺ caspase-3⁺ target cells. Data shown in heat maps are depicted as median log₂-fold change, compared with HD cells. HD (n = 10), NP (n = 10), and NK^imm (n = 9). *P < .05; **P < .01; ***P < .001; ****P < .0001, by nonparametric test. HD (n = 10-20), NP (n = 10-39), and NK^imm (n = 10-14).