title: Adhesion to target cells is disrupted by the killer cell inhibitory receptor.
abstract: Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) inhibit the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells by recruitment of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 to immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM) sequences in the KIR cytoplasmic tail [1]. The precise steps in the NK activation pathway that are inhibited by KIR are yet to be defined. Here, we have studied whether the initial step of adhesion molecule LFA-1-dependent adhesion to target cells was altered by the inhibitory signal. Using stable expression of an HLA-C-specific KIR in the NK cell line YTS [2] and a two-color flow cytometry assay for conjugate formation, we show that adhesion to a target cell expressing cognate HLA-C was disrupted by KIR engagement. Conjugate formation was abruptly interrupted by KIR within less than 5 minutes. Inhibition of adhesion to target cells was mediated by a chimeric KIR molecule carrying catalytically active SHP-1 in place of its cytoplasmic tail. These results suggest that other ITIM-bearing receptors, many of which have no known function, may regulate adhesion in a wide variety of cell types.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Burshtyn
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stebbins
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Long
mesh_terms: D000069594:Abatacept; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000494:pharmacology; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D015236:HLA-C Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D054592:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11; D053824:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D015236:HLA-C Antigens; C048767:HLA-C*02 antigen; C038653:HLA-C*03 antigen; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000069594:Abatacept; C516724:PTPN11 protein, human; C509249:PTPN6 protein, human; D054592:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11; D053824:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases