Project description:It is known that NK cells are a heterogeneous population of functionally distinct NK cell subsets. Here we report on different genomic, phenotypic and functional properties of four murine NK cell subsets distinguished by CD117 (c-kit), CD27 and CD11b expression. Gene expression was measured in NK cell subsets freshly sorted from murine C57Bl/6 splenocytes. Two to three different batches were analysed.
Project description:NK cells are innate lymphoid cells that protect the host against malignant and infected cells. Activation with the cytokines IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18 induces NK cells to differentiate into memory-like NK cells that have enhanced function compared to conventional NK (cNK) cells. However, mechanisms governing their biology and whether all cNK cells become memory-like are unclear. We identified that IL-12/15/18 activation results in two main fates: reprogramming into enriched memory-like (eML) or priming into effector (eff)cNK cells. eML NK cells have distinct epigenetics, phenotype, and enhanced function (IFNγ, cytotoxicity) compared to cNK and effcNK cells. In contrast, effcNK cells transcriptionally and epigenetically resemble cNK cells. Furthermore, we identify that within cNK cells CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells are the origin of distinct subsets of eML NK cells. Moreover, these two subsets of eML NK cells persist within patients receiving ML NK cell therapy for several months. Thus, IL-12/15/18 activation of NK cells results in multiple cell fates, with epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms orchestrating eML NK cell differentiation and function. These mechanistic insights provide new strategies to enhance NK cellular therapy.
Project description:NK cells are innate lymphoid cells that protect the host against malignant and infected cells. Activation with the cytokines IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18 induces NK cells to differentiate into memory-like NK cells that have enhanced function compared to conventional NK (cNK) cells. However, mechanisms governing their biology and whether all cNK cells become memory-like are unclear. We identified that IL-12/15/18 activation results in two main fates: reprogramming into enriched memory-like (eML) or priming into effector (eff)cNK cells. eML NK cells have distinct epigenetics, phenotype, and enhanced function (IFNγ, cytotoxicity) compared to cNK and effcNK cells. In contrast, effcNK cells transcriptionally and epigenetically resemble cNK cells. Furthermore, we identify that within cNK cells CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells are the origin of distinct subsets of eML NK cells. Moreover, these two subsets of eML NK cells persist within patients receiving ML NK cell therapy for several months. Thus, IL-12/15/18 activation of NK cells results in multiple cell fates, with epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms orchestrating eML NK cell differentiation and function. These mechanistic insights provide new strategies to enhance NK cellular therapy.
Project description:NK cells are innate lymphoid cells that protect the host against malignant and infected cells. Activation with the cytokines IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18 induces NK cells to differentiate into memory-like NK cells that have enhanced function compared to conventional NK (cNK) cells. However, mechanisms governing their biology and whether all cNK cells become memory-like are unclear. We identified that IL-12/15/18 activation results in two main fates: reprogramming into enriched memory-like (eML) or priming into effector (eff)cNK cells. eML NK cells have distinct epigenetics, phenotype, and enhanced function (IFNγ, cytotoxicity) compared to cNK and effcNK cells. In contrast, effcNK cells transcriptionally and epigenetically resemble cNK cells. Furthermore, we identify that within cNK cells CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells are the origin of distinct subsets of eML NK cells. Moreover, these two subsets of eML NK cells persist within patients receiving ML NK cell therapy for several months. Thus, IL-12/15/18 activation of NK cells results in multiple cell fates, with epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms orchestrating eML NK cell differentiation and function. These mechanistic insights provide new strategies to enhance NK cellular therapy.
Project description:It is known that NK cells are a heterogeneous population of functionally distinct NK cell subsets. Here we report on different genomic, phenotypic and functional properties of four murine NK cell subsets distinguished by CD117 (c-kit), CD27 and CD11b expression.
Project description:It is known that natural killer (NK) cells are a heterogeneous population of functionally distinct NK cell subsets. Here we report on different genomic, phenotypic and functional properties of human NK cell subsets derived from peripheral blood, thymus and bone marrow. NK cell subpopulations were defined via expression of CD56 and CD16.
Project description:The mechanisms underlying human natural killer (NK) cell phenotypic and functional heterogeneity are unknown. Here, we have described the emergence of diverse subsets of human NK cells selectively lacking expression of signaling proteins following cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. The absence of B and myeloid cell-related signaling protein expression in these NK cell subsets correlated with promoter DNA hypermethylation. Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns were strikingly similar between CMV-associated adaptive NK cells and cytotoxic effector T cells, but differed from those of canonical NK cells. Functional interrogation demonstrated altered cytokine responsiveness in adaptive NK cells that was linked to reduced expression of the transcription factor PLZF. Furthermore, subsets of adaptive NK cells demonstrated significantly reduced functional responses to activated autologous T cells. The present results uncover a spectrum of epigenetically unique adaptive NK cell subsets that diversify in response to viral infection and have distinct functional capabilities compared to canonical NK cell subsets.
Project description:NK cells are lymphocytes that provide a first defense against viral infections and cancer. They act (i) cytotoxic by killing virus-infected and tumorigenic cells and (ii) immune regulatory by releasing cytokines and chemokines. These innate immune cells are commonly further classified as CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells. Former studies confirmed immune regulatory CD56bright NK cells as progenitors of cytotoxic CD56dim NK cells. CD57 was previously described as T cell marker for senescence and terminal differentiation. Recent studies detected CD57+ and CD57- NK cells among the CD56dim NK cell population and suggested a fully mature developmental status for CD57+ NK cells. The recent NK cell maturation model includes CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), which develop into CD56bright NK cells, later into CD56dimCD57- and finally into terminally maturated CD56dimCD57+ (1) (2) (3). The molecular mechanisms of human NK cell differentiation and maturation remain unknown to this date. We performed for the first time a proteomic analysis of these distinct developmental stages of human primary NK cells, isolated from overall 10 healthy human blood donors. CD56bright NK cells versusCD56dim and CD56dimCD57- versus CD56dimCD57+ NK cells were analyzed by using quantitative peptide sequencing, which revealed individual protein signatures (3400 proteins) of these different NK cell developmental stages. Notably, our data support the current NK cell differentiation model by highlighting both strong distinctions between CD56dim/bright NK cells and close relationships between CD57+/- NK cells on the proteomic level. Among the most prominent and conserved regulated proteins, we detected myosin IIa, Calvasculin and Calcyclin with very similar expression patterns. We investigated their sub-cellular localization and observed specific recruitment- and accumulation-events at the NK cell immunological synapse (NKIS) after NK activation.
Project description:Previous reports have defined three subsets of mouse NK cells on the basis of the expression of CD27 and CD11b. The developmental relationship between these subsets was unclear. To address this issue, we evaluated the overall proximity between mouse NK cell subsets defined by CD27 and CD11b expression using pangenomic gene expression profiling. The results suggest that CD27+CD11b-, CD27+CD11b+ and CD27-CD11b+ correspond to three different intermediates stages of NK cell development. Experiment Overall Design: Spleen cells from RAG-/- mice have been isolated and stained with anti-NK1.1, anti CD27 and anti CD11b antibodies. NK1.1+ cells were sorted into CD27+ CD11b-, CD27+ CD11b+ and CD27- CD11b+ subsets by flow cytometry. There are two independent replicates for each sample. Total RNA was extracted with the RNeasy microkit (Qiagen) and gene expression profiles were performed according to manufacturer instructions (Affymetrix mouse 430 2.0).