title: Cytokine-induced expression of killer inhibitory receptors in human T lymphocytes.
abstract: Killer inhibitory receptors (KIRs) represent a new family of HLA-class I-specific receptors. KIRs are involved in the function of Natural Killer cells and allow these cells to discriminate between normal cells and cells with impaired expression of HLA-class I molecules. KIRs are also expressed by a subset of cytolytic T lymphocytes in which they may exert an inhibitory effect on TCR-mediated function. Here we review recent data indicating that cytokines such as IL-15, may induce the de novo expression of CD94/NKG2A (a KIR which operationally detects the expression of various HLA-class I alleles). The expression of CD94/NKG2A has been documented not only in CD34+ precursors undergoing maturation towards NK cells, but also in mature T cells which respond in vitro to superantigens or allogeneic cells.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Universita degli Studi di Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponte
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bertone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tradori-Cappai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellomo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castriconi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moretta
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mingari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D054340:Receptors, KIR