不明原因自然流产与蜕膜NK细胞表面活化性受体表达的相关性研究

探讨不明原因自然流产患者蜕膜NK细胞杀伤活性与其细胞表面活化性受体NKp46、NKp44、NKp30和NKG2D表达的相关性。选取21例早孕不明原因自然流产患者为病例组,25例正常早孕人流妇女为对照组,收集两组的蜕膜组织,Ficoll密度梯度离心分离淋巴细胞,MACS磁珠分选CD3-CD56+NK细胞。以K562细胞为靶细胞,用细胞染色及流式细胞技术检测两组蜕膜NK细胞杀伤活性,用流式细胞技术检测两组蜕膜CD56brightCD16-NK和CD56dimCD16+NK细胞上活化性受体NKp46、NKp44、NKp30和NKG2D的表达,并与NK细胞杀伤活性进行相关性分析。结果:(1)早孕蜕膜NK细胞具有杀伤活性;(2)病例组蜕膜NK细胞的杀伤活性较正常对照组显著增强(P=0.014);(3)病例组蜕膜CD56brightCD16-NK细胞中NKp44的表达比正常对照组显著升高(P=0.021);病例组蜕膜CD56dimCD16+NK细胞中NKp46和NKp44的表达比正常对照组显著升高(分别P=0.026,P=0.041);其余活化性受体的表达两组未见明显差异;(4)蜕膜NK细胞杀伤功能与蜕膜CD56brightCD16-NK细胞中NKp44的表达呈显著正相关(r=0.677,P<0.05),和蜕膜CD56dimCD16+NK细胞中NKp46的表达呈显著正相关(r=0.634,P<0.05)。蜕膜NK细胞活化性受体NKp46和NKp44表达增加,从而使蜕膜NK细胞的杀伤功能增强可能在不明原因自然流产的发病中起重要作用。     

传染性单核细胞增多症患儿NKG2D表达变化初探

目的 观察传染性单核细胞增多症(infectious mononucleosis,IM)患儿自然杀伤(NK)细胞和CD8+T细胞NKG2D表达,探讨导致Epstein-Barr病毒(EBV)感染免疫功能紊乱的可能机制.方法 传染性单核细胞增多症患儿29例,同龄健康对照组25例.流式细胞术检测外周血NK细胞、CD8+T细胞表面激活性受体NKG2D及抑制性受体NKG2A表达,CD14+单核细胞(MC)表面NKG2D配体MHC Ⅰ相关分子A(MICA)与人巨细胞病毒蛋白UL16的结合蛋白1(ULBP-1)表达;酶联免疫吸附试验(EHSA)检测血浆游离MICA (sMICA)、IL-7、IL-12、IL-15、IFN-γ及TGF-β等细胞因子浓度.结果 (1)IM组患儿NK细胞及CD8+T细胞表面NKG2D表达明显低于对照组(P＜0.05),其中3例拟诊EBV-相关噬血细胞综合征(EBV-HLH)患儿表达下调最为显著;(2)IM组患儿CD14+ MC MICA与ULBP-1表达与对照组相比差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);(3)IM患儿细胞因子IL-15与TGF-β较对照组降低,IL-7、IL-12、IFN-γ及sMICA较对照组升高;(4)IM患儿NK细胞NKG2A表达明显高于对照组(P＜0.05),CD8+T细胞NKG2A表达与对照组相比无明显差异(P＞0.05).结论 EBV感染患儿NK细胞、CD8+T细胞NKG2D表达过度下调可能是导致免疫功能紊乱的原因之一,IL-15及IL-12等细胞因子调控失衡,sMICA血浓度增高等多种因素可能与其NKG2D表达下调有关.     

双表达外源性4-1BBL/IL-15的K562细胞活化外周血淋巴细胞的研究

为肿瘤过继免疫治疗开发体外激活T细胞、NK细胞的高效途径,研究双表达外源性4-1BBL和IL-15的K562细胞刺激外周血淋巴细胞活化的能力。采用分子克隆技术,分别将4-1BBL和IL-15基因插入双表达载体pVITRO-2,命名为pV4-1BBL-IL-15。经测序鉴定后,利用脂质体介导的转染及潮霉素筛选,获得稳定双表达4-1BBL、IL-15分子的K562细胞(K562/4-1BBL/IL-15)。经流式细胞仪(FACS)分选后,K562/4-1BBL/IL15细胞和K562细胞分别用丝裂霉素C处理,与外周血淋巴细胞孵育24 h,FACS检测淋巴细胞表面活化性受体CD69的表达。对NK细胞不仅同时检测活化性受体NKG2D的表达,还用乳酸脱氢酶释放法观察NK细胞受不同刺激细胞作用后,细胞毒活性的变化。结果显示受K562/4-1BBL/IL15细胞刺激后,T细胞CD69的表达无明显变化。γδT细胞CD69表达增长5倍。NK细胞CD69表达增长6倍,而NKG2D的表达增加1.5倍;NK细胞受K562/4-1BBL/IL15细胞作用72 h后,细胞毒活性明显提高。提示双表达4-1BBL/IL-15的K562细胞能够高效激活γδT细胞及NK细胞,有望用于肿瘤的过继免疫治疗。     

慢性 HCV 感染者外周血中 CD56＋T 细胞频数、表型和体外细胞毒功能研究

目的探讨慢性HCV感染者外周血中CD56＋T细胞的频数、表型和体外细胞毒功能特征。方法采用流式细胞术检测33例慢性HCV感染者及21例健康对照者外周血CD56＋T细胞的频数和细胞表面活化性受体NKG2C、CD16、NKp46和抑制性受体CD158a、NKG2A的表达水平;检测体外未刺激及K562细胞刺激作用下CD 56＋T细胞毒效应（ CD107a）和细胞因子分泌水平（ IFN-γ和TNF-α）,并分析上述3种CD56＋T细胞功能指标之间的关联性。结果与健康对照相比,慢性HCV感染者外周血中CD56＋T细胞在淋巴细胞中的比例明显降低（ P＝00．18）。 CD56＋T细胞表面的活化性受体 NKG2C（P＝0．015）、CD16（P＝0．036）、NKp46（P＝0．001）均有不同程度降低,而抑制性受体CD158a、NKG2A未发现有统计学意义的差异（P＞0．05）。体外未刺激情况下,慢性HCV感染者CD56＋T细胞分泌细胞因子IFN-γ和TNF -α均显著弱于健康对照组（P ＜0．0001）;在K562细胞刺激作用下,慢性HCV感染者 CD56＋T细胞CD107 a水平及分泌细胞因子IFN-γ和TNF-α均呈显著降低趋势（ P＜0．0001）,且3种功能指标表达水平密切关联（r＞0．80, P＜0．0001）。结论慢性HCV感染者CD56＋T 细胞频数降低,细胞毒能力和重要细胞因子分泌能力均明显减弱。该结果提示显著受损的CD56＋T细胞功能可能与HCV慢性持续性感染有关。     

人NK细胞体外高效扩增的实验研究

目的:建立人NK细胞体外大量扩增的方法。方法:采用基因工程方法,在K562细胞上同时表达IL-15、IL-18、4-1BBL3种基因,构建特定的K562工程细胞作为刺激细胞。IL-15、IL-18基因分别与一段特殊的跨膜蛋白基因融合,4-1BBL直接跨膜表达,使这3种蛋白在K562细胞中表达后锚定于细胞膜表面。其次,以照射致死的该K562工程细胞作为刺激细胞,以人外周血单个核细胞(PBMC)为扩增培养对象,通过与IL-2的共刺激作用,使NK细胞在体外培养条件下得到大量的扩增。结果:经过21d的刺激培养后,CD56 CD3-细胞数量扩增了(520±75)倍。CD56 CD3-细胞的纯度从培养前占PBMC的7%±4%到扩增后占总细胞比例的93%±3%。PBMC中的T细胞基本上没有得到扩增,扩增后的细胞中CD3 细胞只占2%±1.2%。扩增的细胞具备了NK细胞的基本特征和生物学特性,除了CD56 CD3-外,还对扩增的NK细胞上NKG2D、NKp46、NKp44、NKp30、CD94、CD158b、CD158a、NKB1、NKAT2等标记进行了验证。细胞毒实验表明,在效应细胞∶靶细胞为5∶1时,扩增的NK细胞的杀伤率达到了95%±4%。结论:建立的NK细胞体外扩增方法,达到了较高的扩增水平,且扩增的细胞活性较好。本方法以PBMC为原始材料,能够实现NK细胞体外的大规模制备,这将为抗病毒与抗肿瘤的NK细胞免疫治疗奠定基础。     

MS患者CD94/NKG2A-bright和CD94/NKG2A-dim NK细胞亚群对IFN-β的差异性反应

目的： 分析多发性硬化（MS）进展型患者不同表型NK细胞亚群对临床主要治疗方法的反应性差异.方法： 分离患者外周血中的NK细胞, 以流式细胞术根据表面抑制性受体CD94/NKG2A表达情况分为两个亚群CD94/NKG2A-bright和CD94/NKG2A-dim.分别加入IFN-β, 测定两个亚群表面CD94/NKG2A变化及细胞增殖, 同时检测两种亚群分泌IL-10和TGF-β情况.结果： CD94/NKG2A阳性表达的NK细胞占25.5%, 其中CD94/NKG2A-bright和CD94/NKG2A-dim分别占其中的23.6%和76.4%.加入IFN-β, CD94/NKG2A-bright组增殖率明显低于CD94/NKG2A-dim组, CD94/NKG2A表达峰度变化不大.CD94/NKG2A-dim组中CD94/NKG2A表达显著增加.两个亚群分泌的IL-10和TGF-β与未刺激组相比, 均有明显差异.CD94/NKG2A-bright和CD94/NKG2A-dim组间亦有明显差异.结论： IFN-β通过诱导NK细胞CD94/NKG2A表达在非特异免疫系统中抑制NK细胞; 同时刺激IL-10 和TGF-β分泌进一步发挥对免疫系统的抑制.CD94/NKG2A-bright和CD94/NKG2A-dim对IFN-β反应有差异性.     

HIV/HCV共感染者自然杀伤细胞表面活化性与抑制性受体表达的研究

目的 比较HIV/HCV共感染、单纯HCV感染、单纯HIV感染者和健康人自然杀伤细胞（NK）数量及其表面受体的变化,了解HIV/HCV共感染者NK细胞表面活化性与抑制性受体表达特点.方法 采用流式细胞术对24例HIV/HCV共感染者,28例单纯HCV感染者,21例单纯HIV感染者外周血NK细胞数量与其表面活化与抑制性受体进行检测并与20例健康人进行比较分析.结果 HIV/HCV共感染组NK细胞绝对值较其他3组显著减少;共感染组、单纯HIV感染组、单纯HCV感染组NK细胞上NKP30和NKP46的表达频率都显著低于健康对照组,但NKP30的频率在前3组之间差异无统计学意义.共感染组和单纯HIV感染组的NKP46表达频率都显著低于HCV单纯感染组,而前2组之间差异无统计学意义;共感染组和单纯HCV感染组的NKG2A表达频率显著高于健康对照组和单纯HIV感染组,而前2组之间差异无统计学意义,但单纯HIV感染组NKG2A表达频率显著低于健康对照组;NK细胞NKG2D、CD158a和CD158b的表达频率在各组间差异无统计学意义.结论 HIV/HCV共感染者NK细胞绝对值明显降低,其表面活化性受体表达减少,某些抑制受体表达增加,甚至高于单纯HIV感染者,HIV/HCV共感染者NK细胞受损更加严重.     

人外周血NK细胞及NKT细胞受体及亚群的差异表达与类风湿关节炎的关系

目的:探讨初诊类风湿关节炎(RA)患者的外周血NK和NKT细胞的活化性、抑制性受体及亚群表达水平的变化,揭示其在RA发病中的可能机制。方法:检测32例初诊RA患者和15例健康人的外周血NK和NKT细胞及其活化性受体和抑制性受体,对自发和刺激后的NK、NKT细胞分泌的IFN-γ、NKT细胞和CD107a+NK细胞进行检测,分析各细胞亚群与临床指标之间的潜在关系。结果:与健康对照组相比,初诊RA患者的NK细胞的比例显著降低(P=0.026);RA患者NK细胞活化性受体NKG2D+,NKP46+和NKT细胞活化性受体NKG2C+,NKG2D+,NKP46+的比例显著增高(P=0.011,P=0.010,P<0.001,P=0.032,P=0.001);NK细胞抑制性受体KIR2DL3+、KIR3DL1+和NKG2A+和NKT细胞抑制性受体KIR2DL3+,NKG2A+的比例显著降低(P=0.002,P=0.002,P=0.014,P=0.027,P=0.002);刺激后的IFN-γ+NK和IFN-γ+NKT细胞的比例,自发和刺激后的CD107a+NK细胞的比例在RA患者中要显著高于对照组(P=0.037,P=0.004,P=0.001,P=0.001)。此外,NK细胞、抑制性NK细胞受体NKG2A+和KIR2DL3+的比例和初诊RA患者的DAS28值显著相关(r=0.357,P=0.045;r=0.399,P=0.024;r=0.468,P=0.021)。结论:人外周血NK细胞及NKT细胞受体及亚群的差异表达、细胞功能的变化可能诱发RA的自身免疫反应。     

云芝多糖增强人NK细胞杀伤功能的体外研究

目的探讨云芝多糖(PSK)对体外培养的人自然杀伤(NK)细胞杀伤功能的影响。方法采集健康成年人外周血,分离单个核细胞(PBMC),加入含白细胞介素(IL)-2的NK细胞培养液。培养第10天时加入不同质量浓度(100、75、50、25、10、5μg/m L)的PSK诱导NK细胞48 h,收集细胞检测。用CCK-8法检测细胞增殖情况,流式细胞仪检测诱导前后NK细胞穿孔素、颗粒酶B、CD107a及NKG2D受体表达(PSK诱导为实验组,同时设不加药物及无细胞的空白对照孔为对照组)。通过CCK-8法检测对红白血病细胞株K562细胞的杀伤活性:取质量浓度25μg/m L PSK诱导48 h后NK细胞,调整细胞浓度至1×10~9/L作为效应细胞;调整红白血病肿瘤细胞株K562细胞浓度至5×10~7/L,按效靶比为5∶1、10∶1、20∶1、40∶1、80∶1的比例混合培养于96孔板内,同时设单独效应细胞孔、单独靶细胞孔(实验组)和空白孔(对照组)。结果培养10 d后NK细胞纯度达到78.70%左右。经PSK诱导48 h后,NK细胞的增殖及功能具有一定浓度依赖性,PSK质量浓度在25μg/m L对NK细胞的增殖率(51.62%±3.20%)最为明显(P0.01),之后逐渐下降。在质量浓度0~100μg/m L可以促进NK细胞的生长和增加NK细胞表面穿孔素、颗粒酶B、CD107a和NKG2D受体表达,以及增强对红白血病细胞株K562细胞的杀伤活性;尤其是当PSK质量浓度为25μg/m L时,颗粒酶B、穿孔素、NKG2D和CD107a表达为55.42%±2.34%、70.49%±1.87%、83.45%±1.77%和85.00%±2.02%,显著高于对照组(25.83%±1.31%、40.79%±1.59%、70.66%±2.39%和72.79%±2.31%)(P0.01)。在效靶比80∶1时,实验组杀伤活性为57.63%±3.42%,高于对照组(24.78%±2.47%)(P0.01)。结论 PSK在一定质量浓度下能促进NK细胞的生长,且增强NK细胞的杀伤功能。     

结肠癌患者单核或树突状细胞MICA的表达及其与NK细胞活性的关联

目的:观察结肠癌患者单核或树突状细胞是否表达MHCⅠ类相关抗原A(MICA),并分析MICA+单核细胞的频率是否与患者体内NK细胞的活性相关联。方法:首先利用流式细胞仪检测MICA在外周血单核细胞和由单核细胞诱导而来树突状细胞(DCs)上的表达;并用IL-15和IFNα-刺激树突状细胞,观察MICA表达的变化;然后检测患者外周血NKG2D+、CD16+、CD69+NK细胞的频率及NK细胞的杀伤活性;最后分析MICA+单核细胞的频率是否与NK细胞表达NKG2D及其杀伤活性关联。结果:与健康个体相比,结肠癌患者MICA+单核细胞的频率无显著变化。未成熟DCs表达MICA,但受IL-15和IFNα-刺激后,结肠癌来源的DCs表面MICA的表达无显著上调。结肠癌患者外周血NKG2D+、CD69+NK细胞的频率显著降低,NK细胞的杀伤活性显著降低,而CD16+NK细胞的频率无明显变化。结肠癌患者MICA+单核细胞的频率与NK细胞表达NKG2D无明显关联,但与NK细胞杀伤靶细胞时CD107a的表达正相关。结论:结肠癌患者体内单核细胞表达MICA与NK细胞表达NKG2D无关,但高频率MICA阳性的单核细胞与NK细胞的抗肿瘤活性正相关。     

原发性肝癌和癌旁组织中NK细胞受体表达及意义

目的:通过研究原发性肝癌和癌旁组织中NK细胞表面受体活化性及抑制性受体的表达,分析探讨这两种受体含量变化在原发性肝癌发生发展中的关系及其临床价值。方法:通过流式细胞术及免疫组织化学方法检测52例原发性肝癌组织及其癌旁组织中NK细胞数及其活化性、抑制性受体的表达,并结合临床相关因素进行统计学分析。结果:原发性肝癌的NK细胞数量明显低于癌旁对照组(P<0.01),原发性肝癌组织活化性受体NKG2D、NKP44明显低于癌旁组织(P<0.05),而抑制性受体CD158b、CD159a明显高于癌旁组织(P<0.05)。NKG2D、NKP30、NKP44的表达与肝癌临床分期负相关,即在早中期的患者含量较高,越晚期患者肝癌组织中NKG2D、NKP30、NKP44含量越低(P<0.05),NK细胞中抑制性受体CD158b、CD159a的含量在越晚期患者肝癌组织中含量越高(P<0.05)且与AFP高低有关及HBsAg的感染有联系。而NK受体的表达在是否有远处转移、肿瘤分化程度之间以及不同的病灶大小之间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:原发性肝癌发病可能与NK细胞减低及NK细胞活化性受体表达降低、抑制性受体表达升高有关。     

NKG2D performs two functions in invariant NKT cells: direct TCR-independent activation of NK-like cytolysis and co-stimulation of activation by CD1d

Invariant NKT cells are important in the activation and regulation of immune responses. They can also function as CD1d-restricted killer cells. However, the role of activating innate NK-cell receptors expressed on NKT cells in triggering cytolytic function is poorly characterized. Here, we initially confirmed that the cellular stress-ligand receptor NKG2D is expressed on CD4- NKT cells, whereas most CD4+ NKT cells lack this receptor. Interestingly, NKG2D+ NKT cells frequently expressed perforin, and both NKG2D and perforin localized at the site of contact with NKG2D ligand-expressing target cells. CD4- NKT cells degranulated in response to NKG2D engagement in a redirected activation assay independent of stimulation via their invariant TCR. NKT cells killed P815 cells coated with anti-NKG2D mAb and CD1d-negative K562 tumor target cells in an NKG2D-dependent manner. Furthermore, NKG2D engagement co-stimulated TCR-mediated NKT-cell activation in response to endogenous CD1d-presented ligands or suboptimal levels of anti-CD3 triggering. These data indicate that the CD4- subset of human NKT cells can mediate direct lysis of target cells via NKG2D engagement independent of CD1d, and that NKG2D also functions as a co-stimulatory receptor in these cells. NKG2D thus plays both a direct and a co-stimulatory role in the activation of NKT cells.     

Low expression of CD161 and NKG2D activating NK receptor is associated with impaired NK cell cytotoxicity in metastatic melanoma patients

Natural killer (NK) cells play a role in the innate and adaptive antitumor immune responses. The activity of NK cells is regulated by functionally opposing, activating and inhibitory receptors whose balance ultimately determines whether target cells will be susceptible to NK cell mediated lysis. As melanoma is an immunogenic tumor, the effect of immunomodulating agents is consistently investigated. In this study in 79 metastatic melanoma (MM) patients and 52 controls NK activity, expression of activating NKG2D and CD161 receptors and KIR receptors, CD158a and CD158b, on freshly isolated PBL and NK cells were evaluated. Native NK cell activity of melanoma patients in clinical stage I–III and MM patients was determined against NK sensitive K562, NK resistant Daudi, human melanoma FemX, HeLa and HL 60 target tumor cell lines. In addition, predictive pretherapy immunomodulating effect after 18 h in vitro treatments of PBL of MM patients with rh IL-2, IFN-α (IFN), 13-cis retinoic acid (RA) and combination IFN-α and RA was evaluated with respect to NK cell lyses against K562 and FemX cell lines. In this study we show for the first time that low expression of CD161 and activating NKG2D receptors, without increased expression of KIR receptors CD158a and CD158b, as well as a decrease in the cytotoxic, CD16^bright NK cell subset, is associated with a significant impairment in NK cell activity in MM patients. Furthermore, the predictive pretherapy finding that IL-2, IFN, IFN and RA, unlike RA alone, can enhance NK cell activity of MM patients against FemX melanoma tumor cell line can be of help in the design and development of therapeutic regimens, considering that it has recently been shown that low-dose combination of different immunomodulators represents the most promising approach in the therapy of MM.     

Loss of NKG2D in murine NK cells leads to increased perforin production upon long-term stimulation with IL-2

NK cells are innate lymphocytes responsible for lysis of pathogen-infected and transformed cells. One of the major activating receptors required for target cell recognition is the NK group 2D (NKG2D) receptor. Numerous reports show the necessity of NKG2D for effective tumor immune surveillance. Further studies identified NKG2D as a key element allowing tumor immune escape. We here use a mouse model with restricted deletion of NKG2D in mature NKp46⁺ cells (NKG2D^ΔNK). NKG2D^ΔNK NK cells develop normally, have an unaltered IFN-γ production but kill tumor cell lines expressing NKG2D ligands (NKG2DLs) less efficiently. However, upon long-term stimulation with IL-2, NKG2D-deficient NK cells show increased levels of the lytic molecule perforin. Thus, our findings demonstrate a dual function of NKG2D for NK cell cytotoxicity; while NKG2D is a crucial trigger for cytotoxicity of tumor cells expressing activating ligands it is also capable to limit perforin production in IL-2 activated NK cells.     

NK cells recognize and lyse Ewing sarcoma cells through NKG2D and DNAM-1 receptor dependent pathways

INTRODUCTION: Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a malignant bone-associated sarcoma, with poor prognosis in case of metastasis or relapse. To explore the feasibility of natural killer (NK) cell mediated immunotherapy and to identify molecular mechanisms involved, the susceptibility of EWS to NK cells was investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: All EWS cell lines tested (n=7) were lysed by purified allogeneic NK cells from healthy donors, and the efficacy of lysis was increased by activating NK cells with interleukin-15 (IL-15). FACS analysis and immunohistochemistry revealed that EWS cell lines as well as primary tumor cells expressed ligands for the activating NK cell receptors NKG2D and DNAM-1. NK cell cytotoxicity to EWS cells critically depended on the combination of NKG2D and DNAM-1 signaling, since blocking either of these receptors abrogated lysis by resting NK cells. Cytokine-activated NK cells more efficiently recognized EWS cells, since only combined, but not single blockade of NKG2D and DNAM-1 by antibodies inhibited lysis of EWS cells. Induction or blockade of HLA class I on EWS cells did not significantly influence lysis. This suggests that predominantly activating, rather than inhibitory signals on EWS cells determined susceptibility to NK cell cytotoxicity. NK cell cytotoxicity to EWS cells and K562 was reduced in EWS patients at diagnosis (n=11) compared to age matched controls, despite normal NK cell numbers and increased expression of NKG2D. The impaired function of these NK cells was restored after activation with IL-15 in vitro. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that EWS cells are potentially susceptible to NK cell cytotoxicity due to the expression of activating NK cell receptor ligands. The use of cytokine-activated NK cells rather than resting NK cells in immunotherapy may be instrumental to optimize NK cell reactivity to EWS.     

CMV drives clonal expansion of NKG2C+ NK cells expressing self-specific KIRs in chronic hepatitis patients

Natural killer (NK) cells are affected by infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) manifested by increased expression of the HLA-E binding activating receptor NKG2C. We here show that HCMV seropositivity was associated with a profound expansion of NKG2C(+) CD56(dim) NK cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Multi-color flow cytometry revealed that the expanded NKG2C(+) CD56(dim) NK cells displayed a highly differentiated phenotype, expressed high amounts of granzyme B and exhibited polyfunctional responses (CD107a, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) to stimulation with antibody-coated as well as HLA-E expressing target cells but not when stimulated with IL-12/IL-18. More importantly, NKG2C(+) CD56(dim) NK cells had a clonal expression pattern of inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) specific for self-HLA class I molecules, with predominant usage of KIR2DL2/3. KIR engagement dampened NKG2C-mediated activation suggesting that such biased expression of self-specific KIRs may preserve self-tolerance and limit immune-pathology during viral infection. Together, these findings shed new light on how the human NK-cell compartment adjusts to HCMV infection resulting in clonal expansion and differentiation of educated and polyfunctional NK cells.     

High expression of NKG2A/CD94 and low expression of granzyme B are associated with reduced cord blood NK cell activity

Human umbilical cord blood （CB） has recently been used as a source of stem cells in transplantation. NK cells derived from CB are the key effector cells involved in graft-versus-host disease （GVHD） and graft-versus-leukemia （GVL）. It was reported that the activity of CB NK cells was lower than that of adult peripheral blood （PB） NK cells. In this study, we analyzed the expression of some NK cell receptors and cytotoxicity-related molecules in CB and PB NK cells. The expressions of activating NK receptors, CD16, NKG2D and NKp46, did not show significant difference between CB and PB NK cells. But the expression of inhibitory receptor NKG2A/CD94 was significantly higher on CB NK cells. As to the effector function molecules, granzyme B was expressed significantly lower in CB NK cells, but the expressions of intracellular perforin, IFN-γ, TNF-α and cell surface FasL and TRAIL did not show difference between CB and PB NK cells. The results indicated that the high expression of NKG2A/CD94 and low expression of granzyme B may be related with the reduced activity of CB NK cells.     

A rapid method for assessment of natural killer cell function after multiple receptor crosslinking

NK cell function is regulated by the integration of signals from activating and inhibitory receptors. We developed an assay to study the effect of co-crosslinking NK cell receptors in pair-wise combinations without the need to purify NK cells. Monoclonal antibodies recognising inhibitory and activating receptors were coated to flat bottomed tissue culture plates and degranulation was measured within unfractionated, freshly isolated resting or cytokine activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells by flow cytometric analysis of CD107a expression. Measured degranulation responses were NK cell specific, since no expression of CD107a was induced in gated T cells. We detected enhancement of degranulation in response to combinations of antibodies against activating NK cell receptors, including CD16, NKG2D, NKp30 and NKp46 compared to each antibody when combined with an isotype matched control antibody. Co-crosslinking of NKG2A resulted in the inhibition of degranulation measured in response to anti-NKp30 or anti-NKp46 alone in both resting or cytokine pre-activated NK cells, but had no effect on CD16 or NKG2D mediated responses. Interferon gamma production was assayed by intracellular cytokine staining and in cell culture supernatants after receptor crosslinking. No IFN-γ could be detected from resting NK cells after receptor crosslinking whereas the pattern of IFN-γ production in cytokine pre-activated NK cells reflected that observed for degranulation. We conclude that this assay is suitable for the analysis of the impact of NK cell receptor co-crosslinking on multiple NK cell functions and has the potential for application to pathologic conditions where limited numbers of cells are available for study.