Skewed expression of natural-killer (NK)-associated antigens on lymphoproliferations of large granular lymphocytes (LGL)

Killer-immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) or C-type lectin-like receptors are heterogeneously expressed on NK cells and small subsets of T cells and might provide a new diagnostic tool for LGL lymphoproliferations (LGLL). We investigated the diagnostic impact of these cell surface molecules in T- and NK-type LGLL. Using three-color flow cytometry we examined the expression patterns of KIR (CD158a/b/e/i), CD85j, lectin-like receptors (CD94, CD161, NKG2A/D) and natural cytotoxicity receptors (NKp30/44/46) in 13 patients with LGLL (10 T-, 3 NK-LGLL) and compared them to those of the corresponding lymphocyte subsets in 20 control subjects. The presence of clonal TCR-gamma rearrangements and of Epstein Barr virus- (EBV) DNA were evaluated by PCR. All patients exhibited an altered expression of NK-associated markers. KIR were either lacking (6/13) or overexpressed (7/13). CD94 expression was significantly higher in all LGLL. NKG2A expression was significantly higher in NK-LGLL. Absence or overexpression was observed for NKG2A in T-LGLL and CD161 in most T/NK-LGLL. In NK-LGLL expression of NKp30 and NKp46 was significantly decreased, whereas CD85j was overexpressed. We consistently found a skewed expression pattern of novel NK markers as a pathological feature of LGLL. These antigens should be included in the diagnostic workup of this rare disease.     

Low NKp30, NKp46 and NKG2D expression and reduced cytotoxic activity on NK cells in cervical cancer and precursor lesions

Background  

Persistent high risk HPV infection can lead to cervical cancer, the second most common malignant tumor in women worldwide. NK cells play a crucial role against tumors and virus-infected cells through a fine balance between activating and inhibitory receptors. Expression of triggering receptors NKp30, NKp44, NKp46 and NKG2D on NK cells correlates with cytolytic activity against tumor cells, but these receptors have not been studied in cervical cancer and precursor lesions. The aim of the present work was to study NKp30, NKp46, NKG2D, NKp80 and 2B4 expression in NK cells from patients with cervical cancer and precursor lesions, in the context of HPV infection.     

The requirement for DNAM-1, NKG2D, and NKp46 in the natural killer cell-mediated killing of myeloma cells

Recent evidence suggests a role for natural killer (NK) cells in the control of multiple myeloma. We show that expression of the NK cell receptor DNAM-1 (CD226) is reduced on CD56(dim) NK cells from myeloma patients with active disease compared with patients in remission and healthy controls. This suggested that this receptor might play a role in NK-myeloma interactions. The DNAM-1 ligands Nectin-2 (CD112) and the poliovirus receptor (PVR; CD155) were expressed by most patient myeloma samples analyzed. NK killing of patient-derived myelomas expressing PVR and/or Nectin-2 was DNAM-1 dependent, revealing a functional role for DNAM-1 in myeloma cell killing. In myeloma cell lines, cell surface expression of PVR was associated with low levels of NKG2D ligands, whereas cells expressing high levels of NKG2D ligands did not express PVR protein or mRNA. Furthermore, NK cell-mediated killing of myeloma cell lines was dependent on either DNAM-1 or NKG2D but not both molecules. In contrast, the natural cytotoxicity receptor NKp46 was required for the killing of all myeloma cell lines analyzed. Thus, DNAM-1 is important in the NK cell-mediated killing of myeloma cells expressing the cognate ligands. The importance of NKp46, NKG2D, and DNAM-1 in myeloma killing mirrors the differential expression of NK cell ligands by myeloma cells, reflecting immune selection during myeloma disease progression.     

食管鳞癌患者外周血及癌组织中浸润性NK细胞表面受体的表达

目的 分析食管鳞癌患者外周血及组织中NK细胞的比例及其表面受体的表达。方法 流式细胞仪检测食管鳞癌患者外周血及组织中NK细胞的比例及其表面受体的表达。结果 食管鳞癌组织中NK细胞比例明显高于癌旁5 cm以远的非肿瘤正常组织。CD16在食管鳞癌患者外周血中的表达与健康者外周血并无明显差异，但在鳞癌组织中的表达则明显低于正常组织；癌组织中NKp30、NKG2D的表达均明显低于正常组织；NKp44的表达明显高于正常组织。在同一患者体内，与外周血相比，癌组织中的CD16、NKp30、NKG2D的表达更低；而NKp44、NKG2A的表达更高。外周血与癌组织中浸润的NK细胞数量与肿瘤进展呈负相关。结论 食管鳞癌组织中NK细胞表面受体表达失衡可介导食管鳞癌细胞发生免疫逃逸。     

乳腺癌患者可溶性MICA对自然杀伤细胞受体的影响

目的观察乳腺癌患者外周血自然杀伤（NK）细胞杀伤活性及受体的变化,探讨可溶性MICA（sMICA）对NK细胞受体及杀伤活性的影响。方法ELISA法检测外周血血清sMICA的含量。流式细胞术（FCM）检测NK细胞百分比、NK细胞活化性受体NKG2D、抑制性受体KIR（CD158b）表达。MTT法检测NK细胞对乳腺癌细胞株MCF-7的杀伤活性。结果与健康人比较,乳腺癌患者中81．6％表达sMICA,含量为（205．36±71．27）ng／L,且sMICA含量与TNM分期呈正相关。乳腺癌患者外周血NK细胞所占百分比无明显差异,但血清sMICA阳性的乳腺癌患者中NK细胞杀伤活性明显降低,NKG2D表达下降,CD158b表达增高。当NK细胞培养体系中加入sMICA阳性的乳腺癌血清时,其杀瘤活性明显降低【（76．2±6．7）％与（48．4±4．1）％】,NKG2D的表达明显下调[（92．5±7．1）％与（62．5±6．4）％],而CD158b的表达明显上升【（10．6±3．2）％与（43．6±3．4）％】。sMICA阳性的乳腺癌患者NK细胞与细胞因子IL-15共培养,NK细胞的杀瘤活性、NKG2D的表达明显升高,KIR（CD158b）的表达明显下降。结论乳腺癌外周血血清中sMICA可通过下调NK细胞NKG2D表达以及上调KIR表达,降低NK细胞杀瘤活性。IL-15可逆转sMICA对NK细胞的免疫下调作用。     

Expression of activating natural killer‐cell receptors is a hallmark of the innate‐like T‐cell neoplasm in peripheral T‐cell lymphomas

Peripheral T‐ or natural killer (NK)‐cell lymphomas are rare and difficult‐to‐recognize diseases. It remains arduous to distinguish between NK cell‐ and cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐derived lymphomas through routine histological evaluation. To clarify the cells of origin, we focused on NK‐cell receptors and examined the expression using immunohistochemistry in 22 cases with T‐ and NK‐cell neoplasms comprising angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)‐positive and ‐negative anaplastic large‐cell lymphomas, extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma, nasal type, monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T‐cell lymphoma, aggressive NK‐cell leukemia, and other peripheral T‐cell lymphomas. Inhibitory receptor leukocyte immunoglobulin‐like receptor subfamily B member 1 (LILRB1) was detected in 14 (64%) cases, whereas activating receptors DNAM1, NKp46, and NKG2D were expressed in 7 (32%), 9 (41%), and 5 (23%) cases, respectively. Although LILRB1 was detected regardless of the disease entity, the activating NK‐cell receptors were expressed predominantly in TIA‐1‐positive neoplasms (DNAM1, 49%; NKp46, 69%; and NKG2D, 38%). In addition, NKp46 and NKG2D were detected only in NK‐cell neoplasms and cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐derived lymphomas including monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T‐cell lymphoma. One Epstein‐Barr virus‐harboring cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐derived lymphoma mimicking extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma, nasal type lacked these NK‐cell receptors, indicating different cell origin from NK and innate‐like T cells. Furthermore, NKG2D expression showed a negative impact on survival among the 22 examined cases, which mainly received the standard chemotherapy regimen (log‐rank test, P = .024). We propose that the presence of activating NK‐cell receptors may provide new insights into understanding peripheral T‐cell lymphomas and characterizing them as innate‐like T‐cell neoplasm.     

抑制性杀伤细胞受体在NK细胞和T细胞上的表达及其与急性移植物抗宿主病的关系

 目的 研究异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）患者移植前后外周血NK及T细胞上4种抑制性杀伤细胞受体（CD158a、CD158b、NKB1和CD94／NKG2A）的表达及其与急性移植物抗宿主病（aGVHD）的关系。方法 采用流式细胞术检测NK及T细胞上抑制性杀伤细胞受体的表达。结果 NK细胞上CD158a和CD158b的表达于移植后3～4个月、NKB1和CD94／NKG2A的表达于移植后2个月恢复移植前水平。移植前后CD158a和NKB1在CD+3 T细胞上持续低水平表达;移植前CD158b和CD94／NKG2A在CD+3 T细胞上的表达水平较高,且主要表达于CD+8 T细胞上,移植后其在CD+8 T细胞上的表达增加。CD+8 T细胞上CD158b的表达在发生Ⅰ度aGVHD时显著增高,与无aGVHD组及Ⅱ~Ⅳ度aGVHD组相比,差异均有统计学意义（P均＜0.05）;在发生Ⅱ~Ⅳ度aGVHD时增高不明显,与无aGVHD组相比,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。结论 CD158b在CD+8 T细胞上高表达可能有助于降低T细胞同种反应性,减轻aGVHD的程度。     

细胞因子组合体外扩增人NK细胞的研究

目的：探讨细胞因子IL-2、IL-12、IL-15和IL-18组合对体外扩增人外周血来源的NK细胞受体表达及杀伤肿瘤细胞能力。方法：NK细胞的培养分为cIK组、IL2＋II,15组和IL-2＋IL-12＋IL-15＋IL-18组;流式细胞术检测培养的细胞表型及NK细胞受体表达;LDH法检测不同效靶比NK细胞对不同肿瘤细胞株的杀伤作用。结果：外周血淋巴细胞经细胞因子IL-2＋IL广12＋IL-15＋IL-18组合作用下,17d后NK细胞（CD3-CD56＋）比例上升至80％以上,NK细胞数扩增〉1000倍,明显高于其他两组,F=37．154,P〈0．001。NK细胞活化标志CD69。‘分子增加（t-21．271,P〈0．001）,NK细胞活化性受体（NKG2D、NKp30、NKp44和NKp46）均有不同程度上调（P值均〈0．05）,而NK细胞抑制性受体CDl58b（t=3．416,P=0．021）和CDl59a（t=4．209,P=0．018）不同程度下调,T淋巴细胞、B淋巴细胞（CD19＋）、单核巨噬细胞（CD14＋）、调节性T细胞（T—reg）等均显著减少,P〈0．001。对扩增的NK细胞杀伤敏感的肿瘤细胞株均高表达MHCI类相关蛋白A（majorhistocompatibility complexclass Ichainrelated moleculesA,MICA）,MICA表达分别为K562（46．2±3．2）％、MCF-7（56．5±4．7）％、HTC-8（52．5±4．1）％和Eca-109（36．5±2．5）％,而对NK细胞抵抗的细胞株均低表达或不表达MICA分子,分别为Raji0、MDA-MB-435s0和HT-29（1．2±0．8）％。结论：细胞因子IL-2＋IL-12＋IL-15＋IL-18组合能有效的扩增外周血来源NK细胞,上调其活化性受体,下调抑制性受体,其数量及功能均满足临床治疗需要。     

Valproic Acid Upregulates NKG2D Ligand Expression through an ERK-dependent Mechanism and Potentially Enhances NK Cell-mediated Lysis of Myeloma

Modulation of the antitumor immune response through the engagement of NKG2D receptors with their ligands (L) on targets represents a promising therapeutic approach against cancer. In this study, we tested the effect of valproic acid (VPA), a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, on the expression of NKG2D ligands in myeloma cells. We demonstrated that VPA was able to upregulate both protein and mRNA expression of major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain (MIC) A/B and UL16-binding protein (ULBP) 2 without any significant effect on the expression of ULBP1, ULBP3, and ULBP4 or induction of other natural killer (NK) cell ligands, such as NKp30-L, NKp44-L, and NKp46-L in myeloma cells. A ⁵¹Cr release assay and degranulation assay indicated that the induction of MICA/B and ULBP2 augmented NK cell-mediated lysis of myeloma cells, which was abolished by the addition of a blocking NKG2D antibody. Activation of constitutively phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) by VPA is essential for the up-regulation of MICA/B and ULBP2 expressions. Inhibition of ERK using ERK inhibitor PD98059 decreased both MICA/B and ULBP2 expressions and NK cell cytotoxicity. Furthermore, overexpression of constitutively active ERK in ARK resulted in increased MICA/B and ULBP2 expressions and enhanced NK cell lysis. These data indicate that increased sensitivity of VPA-treated myeloma cells to NK cell lysis is caused by higher NKG2D ligand expression, resulting from more active ERK signaling pathway. Our results provide evidence that targeting ERK signaling pathway may be an additional mechanism supporting the antimyeloma activity of HDAC inhibitors and suggest its possible immunotherapeutic value for myeloma treatment.     

Major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain A and UL16-binding protein expression on tumor cell lines of different histotypes: analysis of tumor susceptibility to NKG2D-dependent natural killer cell cytotoxicity

NKG2D, together with NKp46 and NKp30, represents a major triggering receptor involved in the induction of cytotoxicity by both resting and activated human natural killer cells. In this study, we analyzed the expression and the functional relevance of MHC class I-related chain A (MICA) and UL16 binding protein (ULBP), the major cellular ligands for human NKG2D, in human tumor cell lines of different histological origin. We show that MICA and ULBP are frequently coexpressed by carcinoma cell lines, whereas MICA is expressed more frequently than ULBP by melanoma cell lines. Interestingly, the MICA(-) ULBP(+) phenotype was detected in most T cell leukemia cell lines, whereas the MICA(-) ULBP(-) phenotype characterized all acute myeloid leukemia and most B-cell lymphoma cell lines analyzed. These results, together with functional experiments, based on monoclonal antibody-mediated blocking of either NKG2D or its ligands, showed that killing of certain MICA(-) cell tumors is at least in part NKG2D dependent. Indeed, leukemic T cells as well as certain B-cell lymphomas were killed in a NKG2D-dependent fashion upon recognition of ULBP molecules. Moreover, ULBP could induce NKG2D-mediated NK cell triggering also in tumors coexpressing MICA. Our data suggest that the involvement of NKG2D in natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity strictly correlates with the expression and the surface density of MICA and ULBP on target cell tumors of different histotypes.     

K562工程细胞联合IL-2扩增方案对人NK细胞扩增和活化的效果

目的：评价新建立的K562工程细胞联合IL-2扩增方案对人NK细胞扩增和活化的效果。 方法：采集健康志愿者和肿瘤患者的外周血PBMC并分离NK细胞,采用前期构建的K562工程细胞(将IL-15、4-1BBL和IL-18在白血病K562细胞上进行跨膜表达获取）联合IL-2培养方案对NK细胞进行扩增和活化,以流式细胞术检测NK细胞的扩增效果和NK细胞表面受体表达水平,CCK-8法检测扩增后NK细胞对肿瘤细胞的杀伤活性和ADCC活性,CCK-8法检测在培养方案扩增末期加入TKD多肽对NK细胞的活化效果。结果：对于健康志愿者的NK细胞,新建立扩增培养方案可使NK细胞在PBMC中的比例提高至（93±3）%;使NK细胞中活化性受体NKG2D、CD94、NKp30、NKp44和NKp46的比例分别提高60%、40%、20%、40%和63%,而抑制性受体的表达变化不大;扩增后NK细胞对白血病细胞K562、肺癌细胞A549、肝癌细胞SMMU-7721和乳腺癌细胞MCF-7的杀伤活性分别提高了19%、29%、26%和28%,其ADCC活性从（33±5.6）%上升至（65±12）%;方案中增加TKD可使NK细胞的杀伤活性从（86±4）%提高至（96±2）%。对于肿瘤患者的NK细胞,新扩增方案使其在PBMC的比例提高至（90.0±8.0）%,其对K562细胞的杀伤活性提高了17%左右。 结论： K562工程细胞联合IL-2扩增方案可高效扩增NK细胞,明显激活其杀伤活性,扩增和活化的NK细胞可满足临床治疗的需要。     

Highly effective NK cells are associated with good prognosis in patients with metastatic prostate cancer

Clinical outcome of patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) at diagnosis is heterogeneous and unpredictable; thus alternative treatments such as immunotherapy are investigated. We retrospectively analyzed natural killer (NK) cells by flow cytometry in peripheral blood from 39 mPC patients, with 5 year-follow-up, and their correlation with time to castration resistance (TCR) and overall survival (OS). In parallel, NK functionality was carried out against prostate tumor cell lines, analyzed for the expression of NK cell ligands, to identify the receptors involved in PC recognition. NK cells from patients with longer TCR and OS displayed high expression of activating receptors and high cytotoxicity. The activating receptors NKp30 and NKp46 were the most obvious predictive markers of OS and TCR in a larger cohort of mPC patients (OS: p= 0.0018 and 0.0009; TCR: p= 0.007 and < 0.0001 respectively, log-rank test). Importantly, blocking experiments revealed that NKp46, along with NKG2D and DNAM-1 and, to a lesser extent NKp30, were involved in prostate tumor recognition by NK cells. These results identify NK cells as potential predictive biomarkers to stratify patients who are likely to have longer castration response, and pave the way to explore therapies aimed at enhancing NK cells in mPC patients.     

Natural killer and NK-Like T-cell activation in colorectal carcinoma patients treated with autologous tumor-derived heat shock protein 96

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are involved in the activation of both adaptive and innate immune systems. Here, we report that vaccination with autologous tumor-derived HSP96 of colorectal cancer patients, radically resected for liver metastases, induced a significant boost of natural killer (NK) activity detected as cytokine secretion and cytotoxicity in the presence of NK-sensitive targets. Increased NK activity was associated with a raise in CD3-CD56+ NK and/or CD3+CD56+ NK-like T cells, displaying enhanced expression of NKG2D and/or NKp46 receptors. Up-regulated expression of CD83 and CD40 and increased interleukin-12 release on stimulation were observed in CD14+ cells from post-HSP96 peripheral blood mononuclear cells, suggesting an indirect pathway of NK stimulation by HSP96-activated monocytes. Additionally, CD3-CD56+ and CD3+CD56+ lymphocytes were found to undergo functional and phenotypic activation on in vitro exposure to HSP96 even in the absence of monocytes, supporting a potential direct activity of HSP96 on these cell subsets. This evidence was confirmed by the specific binding of FITC-conjugated HSP96 to a subset of both CD3-CD56+ and CD3+CD56+ cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from colorectal cancer patients. Altogether, these findings identify the activation of the NK compartment as an additional immunologic effect of autologous tumor-derived HSP96 administration in cancer patients.     

Expression of natural cytotoxicity receptors NKp30, NKp44, and NKp46 mRNAs and proteins by human hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells

T-cells and NK cells arise from common pluripotent stem cells, with shared early developmental pathway and surface markers. Distinguishing between them is becoming difficult, but critical for study. A large family of NK cells, including classical NK, NK-T, and NK-CTL exists. Natural cytotoxicity receptors (NKp46, NKp44, NKp30) have been proposed as specific for classical NK cells, but were expressed at protein and mRNA level by CD8+NK/T cell line SRIK-NKL, suggesting more widespread expression. We investigated and found expression of these markers at the protein and mRNA level in multiple human cell lines.     

The Putative Role of Natural Killer Cells in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Natural Killer (NK) cells have crucial roles in immune responses against malignant transformation including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The NKG2D receptor has a critical role in the NK recognition of target cells. Aim: We assessed NKG2D receptor expression as a diagnostic biomarker for HCC detection and progression in Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC. Methods: We classified 81 patients into three groups: chronic hepatitis (21), cirrhotic (30) and HCC (30) patients, with 36 individuals enrolled to the control group. We analyzed NK levels in peripheral blood and NKG2D receptor expression in NK cells using flow cytometry. Results: We observed a significant decrease in NKG2D (CD314) expression on circulating NK cells and frequency of NK cells expressing NKG2D (CD314) in HCC patients. Also, in patients, larger foci lesions significantly correlated with decreased NK cell numbers. Multiple foci numbers and patients with a Child score C significantly correlated with decreased circulating NK cells expressing NKG2D and decreased NKG2D expression. Conclusion: The percentage of NK cells in peripheral blood and NKG2D receptor expression could function as potential biomarkers for HCC detection and progression.     

TNFalpha stimulates NKG2D-mediated lytic activity of acute myeloid leukemic cells.

The mechanism by which leukemic cells interfere with normal hematopoiesis remains unclear. We show here that, whereas the leukemic KG1a cells are naturally devoid from cellular cytotoxicity, once activated by TNFalpha, they display cytolytic activity toward various cellular targets including CFU-GM. This mechanism is dependent on stimulation of the granzyme B/perforin system. In addition, KG1a cells expressed the NKG2D receptor and its signal-transducing adaptator DAP 10, which were functional as confirmed by redirected lysis experiments. Interestingly, flow cytometry analysis of 20 samples of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (FAB M0-M5) revealed the expression of NKG2D (40%) and other natural cytotoxicity receptors (40% for NKp30, 74% for NKp44, 39% for NKp46) by a pool >15% of leukemic cells. Furthermore, CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors undergoing granulomonocytic differentiation expressed NKG2D ligands. Altogether, we propose a model in which, upon stimulation by TNFalpha, leukemic cells may exert cytotoxicity against myeloid progenitors. This finding may have important clinical implications in the context of diseases characterized by TNFalpha accumulation, such as AML or myelodisplasic syndromes.     

Role of NKG2D in cytokine-induced killer cells against multiple myeloma cells

The cytokine-induced killer cells (CIK) have been reported to have potent cytotoxicity against a variety of tumor cells including multiple myleoma (MM) cells. The mechanisms that CIK cell recognizing MM cells remain unknown. Recent studies indicated that the interaction between NKG2D receptor and NKG2D ligands plays an important role in inducing cytotoxicity against various target cells by natural killer cells (NK). We suspect whether NKG2D receptor and NKG2D ligands interaction is also responsible for the killing of MM cells by CIK as the same way did NK cells. We expanded CIK cells from healthy controls with interferon (IFN)-γ, CD3 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and interleukin-2 (IL-2), and checked expression of NK cell receptors on CIK cells by flow cytometry. About 86% bulk CIK cells expressed NKG2D receptor but not other NK receptors, such as CD158a, CD158b and NCRs. We analyzed NKG2D ligands expression in MM patients by flow cytometry, primary plasma cells from 8 out of 13 (62%) MM patients expressed different levels of ULBPs or MICA/B on the cell surface. Interestingly, when stimulated with MM cell line U266 that expressed some levels of MICA/B, only NKG2D expressing CIK cells released IFN-γ. CIK cells showed cytotoxicity against NKG2D ligands expressing U266 and primary MM cells, and the cytotoxicity was partially blocked by treating CIK with anti-NKG2D antibody. We conclude that NKG2D-NKG2D ligand interaction may be one of the mechanisms by which CIK cells kill MM cells.     

Cytolytic function and survival of natural killer cells are severely altered in myelodysplastic syndromes.

Natural Killer (NK) cells are critical in host defense against malignant transformation and are potent antileukemic cytotoxic effectors. In the present study, we investigated the peripheral NK function in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We demonstrated that the peripheral NK cell population was quantitatively normal in MDS patients. Furthermore, NK cells displayed an expression of the activating natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCR) NKp46 and NKp30 as well as NKG2D similar to that observed in donors, but exert a highly decreased constitutive cytolytic activity compared to resting normal NK cells. Although activation with IL-2 resulted in the upregulation of NKp46 expression by MDS-NK cells, their cytolytic function remained deeply altered as compared to activated donor NK cells. In addition, MDS NK cells did not proliferate in vitro, and displayed an increased rate of apoptosis in response to IL-2 stimulation although the spontaneous apoptosis was not significantly increased. Interestingly, a proportion of peripheral MDS-NK cells were derived from the MDS clone as the cytogenetic anomaly found in bone marrow karyotype was also detected in 20-50% of circulating NK cells. In conclusion, NK cells' cytolytic function and proliferative capacities in response to activation by cytokines are profoundly altered in MDS.     

A systematic review of the accuracy and utility of peritoneal cytology in patients with gastric cancer

Background  

Although malignant diseases are known to be associated with immune suppression, the detailed mechanisms involved are still unknown. NKG2D is an activating cell surface receptor expressed by natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells, and the engagement of NKG2D is extremely important for NK cell activation. Although decreased NKG2D expression on NK cells is closely related to immune evasion by some cancers, the immunopathological importance of this phenomenon in gastric cancer patients remains unclear.     

沉默HIG2促进NK细胞对喉癌细胞杀伤敏感性的机制探讨

目的:探讨缺氧诱导基因2（HIG2）在喉癌细胞逃逸NK细胞免疫杀伤中的作用机制。方法:免疫组织化学法检测喉癌组织和癌旁组织中HIG2的表达;Western blot检测HIG2、NKG2D配体（MICA、MICB、ULBP1、ULBP2和ULBP3）的蛋白表达;Transwell实验检测Hep-2细胞的侵袭;流式细胞术检测Hep-2细胞的凋亡、CD3-CD56+的NK细胞纯度、NKG2D受体表达及Hep-2细胞NKG2D配体的表达;乳酸脱氢酶释放法检测不同效靶比时,NK细胞对Hep-2细胞的杀伤活性。结果:HIG2在喉癌组织中高表达。CD3-CD56+的NK细胞纯度大于90%。沉默HIG2抑制Hep-2细胞侵袭,促进细胞凋亡,提高NKG2D配体的表达,增强NK细胞对Hep-2细胞的杀伤敏感性。NKG2D抗体抑制NK细胞NKG2D受体表达,减弱NK细胞对沉默HIG2 的Hep-2细胞的杀伤活性。结论:沉默HIG2可抑制喉癌细胞侵袭,促进细胞凋亡,上调NKG2D配体表达,增强NK细胞对喉癌细胞的杀伤敏感性。