title: Transient Notch signaling induces NK cell potential in Pax5-deficient pro-B cells.
abstract: Unlike early B/T cell development, NK cell lineage commitment is not well understood, with a major limitation being the lack of a robust culture system to assay NK cell progenitors. Here we have exploited the multi-lineage potential of Pax5(-/-) pro-B cells to establish an effective system to direct differentiation of progenitors into the NK cell lineage. Cultivation of Pax5(-/-) pro-B cells on OP9 cells expressing the Notch ligand Delta-Like1 (OP9-DL1) in the presence of IL-7 efficiently induced T and NK cell potential. For NK cells, Notch was only transiently required, as prolonged signaling decreased NK and increased T cell development. Pure NK cell populations could be obtained by the culture of these Notch signal-experienced cells onto OP9 stroma and IL-15. A similar transient exposure to Notch was also compatible with the differentiation of NK cells from hematopoietic progenitors, while sustained Notch signaling impaired NK cell generation. Pax5(-/-) pro-B cell-derived NK cells were cytotoxic, secreted cytokines and expressed all the expected NK cell-specific surface markers examined except the Ly49 family, a phenotype similar to fetal NK cells. These data indicate that Notch signaling induces T/NK cell differentiation in Pax5(-/-) pro-B cells that is strikingly similar to early thymopoiesis.
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carotta
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Nutt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D051757:PAX5 Transcription Factor / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051757:PAX5 Transcription Factor; C497282:Pax5 protein, mouse; D051880:Receptors, Notch