Functional plasticity and robustness are essential characteristics of biological systems: lessons learned from KLRG1-deficient mice.
Killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1) receptor is considered to be a marker of terminally differentiated NK and T cells and is strongly induced by viral and other infections. KLRG1 is a C-type lectin-like inhibitory receptor, which interacts with members of the cadherin family of molecules leading to the inhibition of T- and NK-cell function. A study in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology addresses the role of KLRG1 in the maturation and differentiation of NK and T cells in vivo. Using KLRG1-deficient mice generated by homologous recombination, the study reveals that KLRG1 is dispensable for NK- and CD8+ T-cell differentiation and function in vivo. This interesting finding is discussed in this Commentary in light of the plasticity and robustness of immune response mechanisms.
Jonjic
Stipan
S
Department of Histology and Embryology/Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia. jstipan@medri.hr
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000502:physiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D038041:Lymphopoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018146:Muromegalovirus; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology
D015820:Cadherins; C451496:Klrg1 protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic