title: CD8+ T cells rapidly acquire NK1.1 and NK cell-associated molecules upon stimulation in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: NKT cells express both NK cell-associated markers and TCR. Classically, these NK1.1+TCRalphabeta+ cells have been described as being either CD4+CD8- or CD4-CD8-. Most NKT cells interact with the nonclassical MHC class I molecule CD1 through a largely invariant Valpha14-Jalpha281 TCR chain in conjunction with either a Vbeta2, -7, or -8 TCR chain. In the present study, we describe the presence of significant numbers of NK1.1+TCRalphabeta+ cells within lymphokine-activated killer cell cultures from wild-type C57BL/6, CD1d1-/-, and Jalpha281-/- mice that lack classical NKT cells. Unlike classical NKT cells, 50-60% of these NK1.1+TCRalphabeta+ cells express CD8 and have a diverse TCR Vbeta repertoire. Purified NK1.1-CD8alpha+ T cells from the spleens of B6 mice, upon stimulation with IL-2, IL-4, or IL-15 in vitro, rapidly acquire surface expression of NK1.1. Many NK1.1+CD8+ T cells had also acquired expression of Ly-49 receptors and other NK cell-associated molecules. The acquisition of NK1.1 expression on CD8+ T cells was a particular property of the IL-2Rbeta+ subpopulation of the CD8+ T cells. Efficient NK1.1 expression on CD8+ T cells required Lck but not Fyn. The induction of NK1.1 on CD8+ T cells was not just an in vitro phenomenon as we observed a 5-fold increase of NK1.1+CD8+ T cells in the lungs of influenza virus-infected mice. These data suggest that CD8+ T cells can acquire NK1.1 and other NK cell-associated molecules upon appropriate stimulation in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Assarsson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kambayashi
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Kaer
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Ljunggren
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Chambers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D051076:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D055630:Receptors, NK Cell Lectin-Like; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D016207:Cytokines; C527211:Klrb1c protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011506:Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D055630:Receptors, NK Cell Lectin-Like; C494960:Fyn protein, mouse; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck); D051076:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn