Project description:Natural killer (NK) cells have evolved to detect and kill aberrant cells with this activity being governed by the cytokine interleukin (IL)-15 and foreign and self-ligands. We have identified CIS (Cytokine-inducible SH2-containing protein; Cish gene) as the critical negative regulator of IL-15 signalling in NK cells. Cish was rapidly induced in response to IL-15 and deletion of Cish rendered NK cells hypersensitive to IL-15, as evidenced by superior proliferation, survival, IFN-γ production and cytotoxicity towards tumours. This was associated with enhanced JAK/STAT signalling in Cish-deleted NK cells. Correspondingly, CIS interacted with the tyrosine kinase JAK1, inhibiting its enzymatic activity and targeting JAK for proteasomal degradation. Cish-/- mice were resistant to melanoma, prostate and breast cancer metastasis in vivo, and this was intrinsic to NK cell activity. This study has uncovered a potent checkpoint in NK cell-mediated tumour immunity and holds promise for novel immunotherapies directed at blocking CIS function.
Project description:Antibodies targeting “immune checkpoints” have revolutionized cancer therapy by reactivating tumor-resident cytotoxic lymphocytes, primarily CD8 T cells. Interest in targeting analogous pathways in other cytotoxic lymphocytes is growing. Natural killer (NK) cells are key to cancer immunosurveillance by eradicating metastases and driving solid tumor inflammation. NK cell anti-tumor function is dependent on the cytokine interleukin (IL)-15. Ablation of the IL-15 signaling inhibitor CIS (Cish) enhances NK cell anti-tumor immunity by increasing NK cell metabolism and persistence within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME has also been shown to impair NK cell fitness via the production of immunosuppressive TGF-b, a suppression which occurs even in the presence of high IL-15 signaling. Here, we identified an unexpected interaction between CIS and the TGF-b signaling pathway in NK cells. Independently, Cish- and Tgfbr2- deficient NK cells are both hyper-responsive to IL-15 and hypo-responsive to TGF-b, with dramatically enhanced anti-tumor immunity. Remarkably, when both these immunosuppressive genes are simultaneously deleted in NK cells, mice are largely resistant to tumor development, suggesting that combining suppression of these two pathways might represent a novel therapeutic strategy to enhance innate anti-cancer immunity.
Project description:GM-CSF is involved in immune complex (IC)-mediated arthritis. However, little is known about what is the cellular source of GM-CSF and how it is regulated during IC-mediated inflammation. Using novel GM-CSF reporter mice, we show that NK cells produce GM-CSF during an IC-mediated model of inflammatory arthritis. NK cells promoted STIA in a GM-CSF-dependent manner, as deletion of NK cells and selective removal of GM-CSF production by NK cells abrogated disease. Furthermore, we show that myeloid cell activation by GM-CSF is restrained by induction of JAK/STAT checkpoint inhibitor cytokine-inducible SH2-containing protein, CIS. Myeloid cells from CIS-deficient mice had exaggerated responses to GM-CSF, and these mice develop exacerbated STIA. Our data suggest that tissue NK cells may amplify joint inflammation in arthritis via GM-CSF production and thus represent a novel target in IC-mediated pathology. Endogenous CIS provides a key brake on signaling through the GM-CSF receptor and strategies that boost its function may provide an alternative anti-inflammatory approach.
Project description:Fragmented RNA cocktails from FACS sorted Human decidual NK cell, and peripheral blood CD56Bright and CD56Dim NK cells, previously hybridization to HGU95AV2 chips (Koopman et al J Exp Med. 2003 Oct 20;198(8):1201-1), were stored long term at -80C, thawed and hybridized to HG-U133A arrays. Transcriptome analysis of Human decidual NK cells and NK cells from peripheral blood using Affymetrix UGU133A arrays.
Project description:Fragmented RNA cocktails from FACS sorted Human decidual NK cell, and peripheral blood CD56Bright and CD56Dim NK cells, previously hybridization to HGU95AV2 chips (Koopman et al J Exp Med. 2003 Oct 20;198(8):1201-1), were stored long term at -80C, thawed and hybridized to HG-U133B arrays. Transcriptome analysis of Human decidual NK cells and NK cells from peripheral blood using Affymetrix UGU133B arrays.
Project description:Natural Killer (NK) cells present natural cytotoxicity against tumor cells, although their activity is increased after activation. NK cell activation depends on a complex intracellular signaling process mediated by activating and inhibitory receptors and the functional outcome depends on the integration of the activating and inhibitory signals received. Soluble cytokines and/or ligands on target cells bind the NK cell receptors, and hence, influence the final NK cell response: attack versus ignorance. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression underlying NK cell activation by IL-2, a MHC-I-deficient target cell (K562)+IL-2 and an EBV-target cell (R69). PBLs from 4 different donors were activated by 100 U/ml IL-2; K562+IL-2 or R69 cells. After 5 days we obtained RNA and miRNA from naïve NK cells or from NK cells activated with the above mentioned stimuli, with more than 90% of purity. The 16 RNA samples were used to generate cDNA libraries that were hybridized on Human Gene 1.1ST arrays (Affymetrix) and analyzed with the Affymetrix Gene Chip Command Console Software v3.0 (AGCC 3.0, Affymetrix®) and the Expression Console Software v1.1 (Affymetrix®).
Project description:In an effort to define unique and common signatures of NK cell activity that is non-detected at the protein level, we studied the entire transcriptome of NK cells. We used Human Transcriptome Array (HTA) technology to investigate expression profiles of responding NK cells across the three stimulations in six donors.