The role of Natural killer (NK) cells during kidney allograft antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) is increasingly recognized, but an in-depth characterization of mechanisms that contribute to such immune response is still under investigation. Here, we characterized phenotypic, functional, and transcriptomic profiles of peripheral blood circulating and allograft infiltrating CD56CD16 NK cells during anti-HLA donor-specific antibody (DSA)+ ABMR. Cross-sectional analyses performed in 71 kidney transplant recipients identified a unique phenotypic circulating CD56CD16 NK cell cluster expanded in DSA+ ABMR. This cluster co-expressed high levels of the interleukin-21 Receptor (IL-21R); Type-1 transcription factors T-bet and EOMES, CD160 and natural killer group 2D cytotoxic and activating co-stimulatory receptors. CD160 IL-21R NK cells correlated with elevated plasma IL-21, Ki-67 ICOS (CD278) IL-21-producing circulating T follicular helper cells, enhanced Type-1 pro-inflammatory cytokines, NK cell cytotoxicity, worse microvascular inflammation and graft loss. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of circulating NK cells delineated an expanded cluster in DSA+ ABMR characterized by elevated pro-inflammatory/cytotoxic pathways, IL-21/STAT3 signaling, and leukocyte trans-endothelial migration pathways. Infiltration of CD160 IL-21R NK cells with similar transcriptomic profile was detected in DSA+ ABMR allograft biopsies, potentially contributing to allograft injury. Thus, the IL-21/IL-21R axis, linking adaptive and innate humoral allo-immunity, or NK cells may represent appealing immunotherapy targets in DSA+ ABMR.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10524858PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.kint.2023.04.024DOI Listing

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