title: Chicken C-type lectin-like receptor B-NK, expressed on NK and T cell subsets, binds to a ligand on activated splenocytes.
abstract: B-NK is a C-type lectin with an immunorecptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif, that is located in the vicinity of the chicken MHC and that has been described as a potential chicken NK cell receptor. We have generated an epitope tagged B-NK version for immunization and for biochemical studies. B-NK was expressed as a heavily glycosylated, homodimeric, type II transmembrane protein. With the help of a newly developed B-NK specific mab, the tissue distribution of B-NK has been analyzed. In the blood, B-NK was mainly present on a small population of gammadelta T cells, whereas in spleen it was expressed by alphabeta T cells. Moreover, B-NK was also found on CD3(-)CD8(+) sorted splenocytes that were in vitro expanded by IL-2 and on embryonic splenocytes, both of which resemble chicken NK cells. In order to characterize cells expressing B-NK ligands, a BWZ.36 based reporter system was employed, that induced beta-galactosidase activity upon ligand binding. While potential B-NK ligands such as MHC class I or the C-type lectin B-lec did not induce any signal, a trypsin sensitive B-NK ligand was expressed on phorbol myristate or concanavalin A activated splenocytes, but not unstimulated splenocytes. In summary, B-NK is expressed by NK cells and T cell subsets, and it binds to a ligand on activated cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Animal Physiology, University of Munich, Veterinärstr. 13, 80539 Munich, Germany. Birgit.Viertlboeck@lmc.de
authors.forename: Birgit C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Viertlboeck
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wortmann
authors.forename: Ramona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Jirí
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plachý
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Göbel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D011485:Protein Binding; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013154:Spleen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C400286:B-NK1 protein, Gallus gallus; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008024:Ligands; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic