Increased surveillance of cells in mitosis by human NK cells suggests a novel strategy for limiting tumor growth and viral replication.
The threat from cancer cells is inherently linked to cell-cycle progression, and viral genomes commonly replicate, for example, within episomes or proviruses, during mitosis. We report here that human natural killer (NK) cells bound cells in mitosis and attacked pathogenic cells in mitosis more effectively than the same cells in other stages of the cell cycle. Thus, cells in mitosis warrant and undergo heightened surveillance, a novel strategy for immunologic assessment of danger. Recognition of cells in mitosis involved ligation of activating NK-cell receptors and binding to target-cell hyaluronan, a component of the pericellular matrix known to be increased during mitosis. Direct interaction between activating NK-cell receptors and hyaluronan is possible, but other mechanisms consistent with our data are also discussed.
Nolte-'t Hoen
Esther N M
EN
Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
Almeida
Catarina R
CR
Cohen
Nadia R
NR
Nedvetzki
Shlomo
S
Yarwood
Helen
H
Davis
Daniel M
DM
D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000276:immunology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007157:Immunologic Surveillance / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000276:immunology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000276:immunology