title: Distinct transcriptional control mechanisms of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors in natural killer (NK) and in T cells.
abstract: Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) are expressed by natural killer (NK) cells and by subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, which are therefore thought to be subject to similar regulatory mechanisms. Here, we show that the transcriptional machinery to express KIR is limited to NK and T cells; however, the KIR transcriptional control differs between these two types of lymphocytes. T cells selectively express transcriptional activators binding to positions -52 to -61 of the KIR promoter, whereas an AML site around position-98 is relevant for transcription in NK cells. Although KIR expression is restricted to subsets of memory T cells, our studies demonstrate that transcriptional activators for KIRs are not acquired during T cell differentiation but are already present in naïve T cells, suggesting a basic role of KIRs in T cell biology. We suggest that the regulated expression of KIRs in T cells profoundly influences peripheral tolerance and antigen-specific immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Lowance Center for Human Immunology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Abbe N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Vallejo
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Cornelia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Weyand
authors.forename: Jörg J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Goronzy
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D004247:DNA; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA