Analysis of KIR2D receptors on peripheral blood lymphocytes from liver graft recipients.
KIR2D receptors are killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) specific for HLA-C epitopes, that are expressed on NK cells as well as on minor peripheral blood T-cell subsets, and are able to control NK and T cells activity. The present work explores NK, and particularly CD8(+) T cells expressing KIR2D2L1/S1 (CD158a) or KIR2D2L2/3/S2 (CD158b) receptors in liver graft alloresponse. Flow cytometry was used to analyse peripheral blood mononuclear cells stained with anti-CD158a and anti-CD158b antibodies from 110 liver recipients and 46 healthy controls, previous to and along the first month after transplantation. Pre-transplantation data shows that both CD158a and CD158b molecules can be detected on NK and T cells from all patients and controls, but both KIR2D(+)NK cells are significantly under-represented in patients respect to controls (P<0.001), and CD3(+)CD8(+)CD158a(+) cells decreased particularly in patients suffering from acute rejection (4.03+/-1.33 cells/microL) compared with controls (7.8+/-2.4 cells/microL). Following transplantation, KIR2D(+)CD8(+) T-cell repertoires increased through the first month, mainly in recipients with a good graft acceptance. In summary, monitoring of KIR2D(+)CD8(+) T cells, particularly KIR2DL1/S1(+)CD8(+) T cells at pre-transplant, and both KIR2DL1/S1(+) and KIR2DL2/3/S2(+) T-cell subsets at early post-transplant period, could offer useful information for clinical follow-up of liver grafts.
López-Alvarez
María R
MR
Immunology Service, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, 30120 Murcia, Spain.
Gómez-Mateo
Jorge
J
Ruiz-Merino
Guadalupe
G
Campillo
José A
JA
Miras
Manuel
M
García-Alonso
Ana M
AM
Sánchez-Bueno
Francisco
F
Parrilla
Pascual
P
Alvarez-López
María R
MR
Minguela
Alfredo
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology; D015236:HLA-C Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000097:blood*; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D054342:Receptors, KIR2DL1; D054343:Receptors, KIR2DL2; D054344:Receptors, KIR2DL3; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
D015236:HLA-C Antigens; C515077:KIR2DL2 protein, human; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D054342:Receptors, KIR2DL1; D054343:Receptors, KIR2DL2; D054344:Receptors, KIR2DL3