title: Rat hepatic natural killer cells (pit cells) express mRNA and protein similar to in vitro interleukin-2 activated spleen natural killer cells.
abstract: Pit cells are liver-specific natural killer (NK) cells that can be divided into high- (HD) and low-density (LD) subpopulations. The characteristics of pit cells were further investigated in this report. LD and HD pit cells express the specific NK-activation markers gp42, CD25, and ANK44 antigen. LD cells and IL-2-activated NK cells have a high mRNA expression of perforin, granzymes, interferon-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. LD pit cells, unlike spleen NK cells, have a weak response to IL-2 with regard to proliferation, cytotoxicity, and production of NK-related molecules. The characteristics of HD cells are intermediate between LD and spleen NK cells. These results show that pit cells, especially LD cells, possess characteristics similar to IL-2-activated NK cells. This is the first evidence on a molecular level that pit cells could be considered in vivo activated NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Cell Biology and Histology, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, B-1090, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vanderkerken
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vermijlen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asosingh
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Triantis
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Eizirik
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kuppen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wisse
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D054353:Perforin; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D054353:Perforin; C066698:membrane glycoprotein gp42, rat NK cell; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases