Primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening disorder associated with autosomal recessive variants in genes required for perforin-mediated lymphocyte cytotoxicity. A rapid diagnosis is crucial for successful treatment. Although defective cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) function causes pathogenesis, quantification of natural killer (NK)-cell exocytosis triggered by K562 target cells currently represents a standard diagnostic procedure for primary HLH.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNK cell responsiveness to target cells is tuned by interactions between inhibitory NK cell receptors and their cognate HLA class I ligands in a process termed "NK cell education." Previous studies addressing the role for NK cell education in Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) show ambiguous results and do not encompass full educational resolution. In this study, we systematically characterized human NK cell CD16-triggered degranulation toward defined human tumor cell lines in the presence of either the mAb rituximab or a recently developed CD34xCD16 bispecific killer engager.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe integrin CD49a marks highly cytotoxic epidermal-tissue-resident memory (T) cells, but their differentiation from circulating populations remains poorly defined. We demonstrate enrichment of RUNT family transcription-factor-binding motifs in human epidermal CD8CD103CD49a T cells, paralleled by high RUNX2 and RUNX3 protein expression. Sequencing of paired skin and blood samples revealed clonal overlap between epidermal CD8CD103CD49a T cells and circulating memory CD8CD45RACD62L T cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInnate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are considered innate counterparts of adaptive T cells; however, their common and unique transcriptional signatures in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (pIBD) are largely unknown. Here, we report a dysregulated colonic ILC composition in pIBD colitis that correlates with inflammatory activity, including accumulation of naive-like CD45RACD62L ILCs. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) reveals modules of genes that are shared or unique across innate and adaptive lymphocytes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNatural killer (NK) cells recognize virally infected cells and tumors. NK cell function depends on balanced signaling from activating receptors, recognizing products from tumors or viruses, and inhibitory receptors (such as KIR/Ly49), which recognize major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules. KIR/Ly49 signaling preserves tolerance to self but also conveys reactivity toward MHC-I-low target cells in a process known as NK cell education.
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