Abstract
Killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) and CD94:NKG2A molecules were first defined as human NK cell receptors (NKR), but now are known to be expressed and to function on subpopulations of T cells. Here the repertoires of KIR and CD94:NKG2A expression by T cells from two donors were examined and compared with their previously defined NK cell repertoires. T cell clones generated from peripheral blood of both donors expressed multiple NKR in different combinations and used the range of receptors expressed by NK cells. In both donors alpha beta T cells less frequently expressed the inhibitory receptors CD94:NKG2A and KIR2DL1 than either gamma delta T cells or NK cells. In contrast to NK cells, not all NKR(+) T cells expressed an inhibitory receptor for autologous HLA class I. This lack of specific inhibitory NKR was especially apparent on alpha beta T cells of one donor. Overall, alpha beta T cells exhibited a distinct pattern of NKR expression different from that of gamma delta T and NK cells, which expressed highly similar NKR repertoires. In one donor, analysis of TCR rearrangement revealed a dominant subset of NKR(+) T cells sharing identical TCR alpha- and beta-chains. Remarkably, among 55 T cell clones sharing the same TCR alpha beta rearrangement 18 different KIR phenotypes were seen, suggesting that KIR expression was initiated subsequently to TCR rearrangement.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 3923-3932 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | The Journal of Immunology |
Volume | 166 |
Issue number | 6 |
Publication status | Published - 15 Mar 2001 |
Keywords
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Antigens, CD
- Base Sequence
- Cell Line
- Clone Cells
- Flow Cytometry
- Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor
- Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor
- Humans
- Immunoglobulins
- Killer Cells, Natural
- Lectins, C-Type
- Membrane Glycoproteins
- Molecular Sequence Data
- NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C
- NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta
- Receptors, Immunologic
- Receptors, KIR
- Receptors, KIR2DL1
- Receptors, Natural Killer Cell
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets