title: Natural Killer-like B Cells Prime Innate Lymphocytes against Microbial Infection.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells and non-cytotoxic interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing group I innate lymphoid cells (ILC1s) produce large amounts of IFN-γ and cause activation of innate and adaptive immunity. However, how NKs and ILC1s are primed during infection remains elusive. Here we have shown that a lymphocyte subpopulation natural killer-like B (NKB) cells existed in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs). NKBs had unique features that differed from T and B cells, and produced interleukin-18 (IL-18) and IL-12 at an early phase of infection. NKB cells played a critical role in eradication of microbial infection via secretion of IL-18 and IL-12. Moreover, IL-18 deficiency abrogated the antibacterial effect of NKBs. Upon bacterial challenge, NKB precursors (NKBPs) rapidly differentiated to NKBs that activated NKs and ILC1s against microbial infection. Our findings suggest that NKBs might be exploited to develop effective therapies for treatment of infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Pengyan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Guanling
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Buqing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. Electronic address: fanz@moon.ibp.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Zusen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D054448:Precursor Cells, B-Lymphoid / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D018664:Interleukin-12
keywords: IL-18; ILC1s; NK cells; NKB cells; innate immunity