title: Differential induction of CD94 and NKG2 in CD4 helper T cells. A consequence of influenza virus infection and interferon-gamma?
abstract: Influenza A virus causes worldwide epidemics and pandemics and the investigation of memory T helper (Th) cells that help maintain serological memory following infection is important for vaccine design. In this study we investigated CD94 and NKG2 gene expression in memory CD4 T-cell clones established from the spleens of C57BL/10 (H-2(b)) and BALB/c (H-2(d)) mice infected with influenza A virus (H3N2). CD94 and NKG2A/C/E proteins form heterodimeric membrane receptors that are involved in virus recognition. CD94 and NKG2 expression have been well characterized in natural killer (NK) and cytotoxic T cells. Despite CD94 being potentially an important marker for Th1 cells involved in virus infection, however, there has been little investigation of its expression or function in the CD4 T-cell lineage and no studies have looked at in-vivo-generated Th cells or memory cells. We show in this study that in-vivo-generated CD4 Th1 cells, but not Th2 cells, exhibited full-length CD94 and NKG2A gene expression following activation with viral peptide. For NKG2A, a novel 'short' (possibly redundant) truncated isoform was detectable in a Th2 cell clone. Another member of the NK receptor family, NKG2D, but not NKG2C or E, was also differentially expressed in Th1 cells. We show here that CD94 and NKG2A may exist as multiple isoforms with the potential to distinguish helper T-cell subsets.
authors.affiliation: Division of Virology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, UK. bthomas@nimr.mrc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Jillian R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: D Brian
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C527057:Klrc1 protein, mouse; C527060:Klrc2 protein, mouse; C527086:Klrk1 protein, mouse; D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell; D007371:Interferon-gamma