Differential expression of inhibitory and activating CD94/NKG2 receptors on NK cell clones.
Natural killer cells are known to express a variety of surface receptors involved in HLA class I monitoring. It is thus of interest to investigate the clonal distribution and relative expression levels of activating versus inhibitory NK receptors. We have developed a quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay designed to determine specific and absolute mRNA levels for NKG2-A/B, -C, -E, -F, -H and NKG2-D. When analyzing NK cell clones derived from a single donor we found differential expression of inhibitory (NKG2-A/B) versus triggering (NKG2-C and potentially -E, -F, -H) NK receptor chains. The generation of the splice variants NKG2-E and -H seemed to occur at a constant ratio. We further compared NKG2 transcript levels to surface receptor expression as monitored by flow cytometric analysis and to NK cell cytotoxicity as detected by reverse ADCC: a clear correlation was observed. Thus, the data obtained reveal a substantial variability in the NKG2 repertoire among NK cell subpopulations, which is likely to affect the sensitivity and reactivity towards the ligand HLA-E.
Brostjan
Christine
C
Department of Surgery, General Hospital, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Bellón
Teresa
T
Sobanov
Yuri
Y
López-Botet
Miguel
M
Hofer
Erhard
E
D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000276:immunology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D015703:Antigens, CD; C527054:KLRC1 protein, human; C527059:KLRC2 protein, human; C527062:KLRC3 protein, human; C497869:KLRD1 protein, human; C527085:KLRK1 protein, human; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell