title: PILRα binds an unknown receptor expressed primarily on CD56bright and decidual-NK cells and activates NK cell functions.
abstract: Natural Killer (NK) cells are innate immune lymphocytes specializing in recognition and killing of tumors and pathogens, using an array of activating and inhibitory receptors. NK inhibition is mediated by a large repertoire of inhibitory receptors, whereas a limited number of activating NK cell receptors execute NK cell activation. The ligands recognized by the activating receptors are stress-induced, pathogen derived, tumor specific and even self ligands. However, the full spectrum of NK cell receptors and ligands that control NK cell activity remains uncharacterized. Here we demonstrate that Paired Ig-Like type 2 Receptor Alpha (PILRα), binds a distinct human NK cell sub-population present in the peripheral blood and also in the decidua. We further demonstrate that the interaction of NK cells with PILRα expressing targets lead to elevated IFNγ secretion and cytotoxicity. In conclusion, we present here a novel NK activating ligand which binds and activates an unknown NK receptor expressed on a unique NK cell subset.
authors.affiliation: The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The BioMedical Research Institute Israel-Canada of The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ophir
authors.affiliation: The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The BioMedical Research Institute Israel-Canada of The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duev-Cohen
authors.affiliation: The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The BioMedical Research Institute Israel-Canada of The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yamin
authors.affiliation: The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The BioMedical Research Institute Israel-Canada of The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Pini
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tsukerman
authors.affiliation: The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The BioMedical Research Institute Israel-Canada of The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bauman
authors.affiliation: The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The BioMedical Research Institute Israel-Canada of The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Moriya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gamliel
authors.affiliation: The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The BioMedical Research Institute Israel-Canada of The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mandelboim
mesh_terms: D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019002:CD56 Antigen; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C412263:PILRA protein, human; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: CD56 bright; Immune response; Immunity; Immunology and Microbiology Section; NK; PILRa