title: Unique progenitors in mouse lymph node develop into CD127+ NK cells: thymus-dependent and thymus-independent pathways.
abstract: A subset of natural killer (NK) cells in normal mouse lymph node (LN) expresses CD127 (IL-7 receptor-α chain) and is thought to derive from the thymus. However, CD127(+) NK cells are found in the LN of athymic mice. Therefore, the origin of CD127(+) NK cells in the LN is unclear. Here, we have identified unique NK-cell progenitors (NKPs) in the LN that express the pan-NK cell marker CD49b and CD127 but lack CD122 and lineage markers. The LN NKPs develop in vitro into CD127(+) NK cells that display natural cytotoxicity and cytokine production capacity. They also become CD127(+) NK cells in lymphopenic mice that received a transplant. LN NKPs can be divided into stem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1)(hi) and Sca-1(lo) subsets. The latter comprise ∼ 60% of LN NKPs in normal mouse and < 10% of athymic mouse LN NKPs. Whereas both Sca-1(hi) and Sca-1(lo) NKPs develop into CD127(+) NK cells in vitro, only those derived from Sca-1(lo) LN NKPs have rearranged TCRγ genes. Thus, CD127(+) NK cells in the LN seem to be generated, at least in part, from both thymus-dependent Sca-1(lo) and thymus-independent Sca-1(hi) LN NKPs.
authors.affiliation: Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luther
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Takei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D039421:Integrin alpha2 / Q000378:metabolism; D053646:Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000950:Antigens, Ly; D015415:Biomarkers; C508022:Il2rb protein, mouse; D039421:Integrin alpha2; D053646:Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit; C074650:Ly6a protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins