title: Human natural killer cell receptor 2B4 (CD244) down-regulates its own expression by reduced promoter activity at an Ets element.
abstract: 2B4 (CD244), a member of the CD2 subset of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is important for stimulating human natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and cytokine production. It is expressed on all NK cells, a subpopulation of T cells, monocytes, basophils and eosinophils. 2B4 interaction with its ligand CD48 regulates NK, T and B lymphocyte functions and thus plays a central role in various immune responses. Previous study indicated a role for AP-1 and Ets in the transcription of the 2B4 gene. In this study we report that stimulation of NK cells through surface 2B4 down-regulates its own expression due to a reduction in the promoter activity at the Ets element. The down-regulation of 2B4 could be a mechanism to attenuate the co-stimulatory signal from 2B4--CD48 interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA. stmathew@hsc.unt.edu
authors.forename: Stephen O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Swapnil V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Vaidya
authors.forename: Jong R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Porunelloor A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Mathew
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D017931:DNA Primers; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000071176:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C084093:CD244 protein, human; D017931:DNA Primers; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D000071176:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1