Type I transmembrane receptor with inhibitory function in mouse mast cells and NK cells.
The MHC class I-specific inhibitory receptors on human and mouse NK cells have surprisingly different structures. The mouse receptors (Ly-49) are type II transmembrane glycoproteins of the C-type lectin family, whereas the human receptors (killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIR)) belong to the Ig superfamily. This difference prompted a search for Ig-like inhibitory receptors in mice. Here we show that gp49, a mouse mast cell protein of unknown function but with sequence similarity to KIR, is expressed in NK cells. The gp49 cytoplasmic tail, containing a sequence related to an inhibitory motif shared by KIR and Ly-49, delivered a strong inhibitory signal in both human and mouse NK cells when substituted for a KIR cytoplasmic tail. These data show that Ig-like receptors with inhibitory properties exist in both species and that mouse mast and NK cells may recognize common inhibitory ligands.
Rojo
S
S
Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
Burshtyn
D N
DN
Long
E O
EO
Wagtmann
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis*
C489447:Gp49a protein, mouse; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C489448:Lilrb4 protein, mouse; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic