title: The expression of NK cell inhibitory receptors on cytotoxic T cells in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL).
abstract: Immune surveillance of tumours is mediated by cytotoxic T cells (CTL) that recognise tumour antigen. Reduced reactivity of CTL towards tumour cells could thus lead to disease progression and loss of tumour control. In B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL), the function of tumour-reactive CTL seems to correlate inversely to disease stage. Inhibitory NK cell receptors are known to suppress the CTL response upon interaction with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and increased expression of such receptors on CTL may inhibit the anti-tumour response. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the expression of NK cell inhibitory receptors on CTL in B-CLL patients and if such expression correlated to disease stage. CD8+ T cells from B-CLL patients in Binet stage A (n = 26) and stage C (n = 14) and healthy controls (n = 14) were analysed for the expression of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) CD158a (KIR2DL1), CD158b (KIR2DL2), CD158e (KIR3DL1) and the C-type lectin receptor CD94, by flow cytometry analysis. Patients with advanced disease (Binet stage C) had a significantly greater percentage of CTL expressing CD158b, CD158e and CD94 than patients with non-progressive disease (Binet stage A) and healthy controls. Stage C patients also had a significantly higher percentage of CTL expressing CD158a than stage A patients. No statistically significant differences were found between Binet A patients and healthy controls. Our results suggest that increased expression of KIR and CD94 on CTL in advanced stage B-CLL may potentially contribute to the impaired anti-tumour immune response in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Junevik
authors.forename: Olle
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Werlenius
authors.forename: Sverker
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasselblom
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacobsson
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nilsson-Ehle
authors.forename: Per-Ola
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D054342:Receptors, KIR2DL1; D054343:Receptors, KIR2DL2; D054344:Receptors, KIR2DL3; D054341:Receptors, KIR3DL1; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C515077:KIR2DL2 protein, human; C515083:KIR3DL1 protein, human; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D054342:Receptors, KIR2DL1; D054343:Receptors, KIR2DL2; D054344:Receptors, KIR2DL3; D054341:Receptors, KIR3DL1