Functional characterization of NK1.1 + Ly-6C+ cells.
It was found that NK1.1+ cells were subdivided by their different expression pattern of Ly-6C antigen. To characterize their functional significance in immunoregulation, we separated NK1.1 + Ly6C+ cells and NK1.1 + Ly-6C- cells from C57BL/6 mouse nylon-passed spleen cells by FACStar. Both NK1.1 + Ly-6C+ and NK1.1 + Ly-6C- cells responded to the stimulation with IL-2 plus IL-12 and showed strong cytotoxicity against YAC-1 cells. However, these cells revealed different ability in terms of IFN-gamma production. Only NK1.1 + Ly-6C+ cells, but not NK1.1 + Ly-6C- cells, cultured with IL-12 alone or IL-2 plus IL-12, produced high levels of IFN-gamma. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that NK1.1 + Ly-6C+ cells consisted of NK1.1 + CD3-Ly-6C+ NK cells and NK1.1 + CD3 + Ly-6C+ NKT cells. Therefore, we further separated these two populations from NK1.1 + Ly-6C+ cells to define their functions. Although, both NK1.1 + CD3-Ly-6C+ NK cells and NK1.1 + CD3+ NKT cells showed the same level of cytotoxicity. It was clearly demonstrated that NK1.1 + CD3+Ly-6C+ NKT cells were major immunoregulatory cells to produce IFN-gamma in respond to IL-12 alone or IL-2 plus IL-12.
Sato
N
N
Department of Immunology, Tokai University, School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan.
Yahata
T
T
Santa
K
K
Ohta
A
A
Ohmi
Y
Y
Habu
S
S
Nishimura
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D002469:Cell Separation; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL
D000950:Antigens, Ly; D017252:CD3 Complex; D007376:Interleukin-2; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma