Although activation of natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity is generally inhibited by target major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I expression, subtle features of NK allorecognition suggest that NK cells possess receptors that are activated by target MHC I. The mouse Ly-49D receptor has been shown to activate NK cytotoxicity, although recognition of MHC class I has not been demonstrated previously. To define Ly-49D–ligand interactions, we transfected the mouse Ly-49D receptor into the rat NK line, RNK-16 (RNK.mLy-49D). As expected, anti– Ly-49D monoclonal antibody 12A8 specifically stimulated redirected lysis of the Fc receptor– bearing rat target YB2/0 by RNK.mLy-49D transfectants. RNK.mLy-49D effectors were tested against YB2/0 targets transfected with the mouse MHC I alleles H-2Dd, Db, Kk, or Kb. RNK.mLy-49D cells lysed YB2/0.Dd targets more efficiently than untransfected YB2/0 or YB2/0 transfected with Db, Kk, or Kb. This augmented lysis of H-2Dd targets was specifically inhibited by F(ab′)2 anti–Ly-49D (12A8) and F(ab′)2 anti–H-2Dd (34-5-8S). RNK.mLy-49D effectors were also able to specifically lyse Concanavalin A blasts isolated from H-2d mice (BALB/c, B10.D2, and DBA/2) but not from H-2b or H-2k mice. These experiments show that the activating receptor Ly-49D specifically interacts with the MHC I antigen, H-2Dd, demonstrating the existence of alloactivating receptors on murine NK cells.
The murine Ly49 family contains nine genes in two subgroups: the inhibitory receptors (Ly49A, B, C, E, F, G2, and I) and the noninhibitory receptors (Ly49D and H). Unlike their inhibitory counterparts, Ly49D and H do not contain immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs but associate with a recently described coreceptor, DAP12, to transmit positive signals to natural killer (NK) cells. DAP12 is also expressed in myeloid cells, but the receptors coupled to it there are unknown. Here we document the signaling pathways of the Ly49D/ DAP12 complex in NK cells. We show that ligation of Ly49D results in 1) tyrosine phosphorylation of several substrates, including phospholipase C␥1, Cbl, and p44/ p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and 2) calcium mobilization. Moreover, we demonstrate that although human DAP12 reportedly binds the SH2 domains of both Syk and Zap-70, ligation of Ly49D leads to activation of Syk but not Zap-70. Consistent with this observation, Ly49D/DAP12-mediated calcium mobilization is blocked by dominant negative Syk but not by catalytically inactive Zap-70. These data demonstrate the dependence of DAP12-coupled receptors on Syk and suggest that the outcome of Ly49D/DAP12 engagement will be regulated by Cbl and culminate in the activation of transcription factors.
Osteopontin (OPN) is an extracellular phosphorylated glycoprotein expressed in bone, kidney, nervous tissue, bone marrow, and granulated metrial gland (GMG) cells in murine decidua. We recently demonstrated that GMG cells are differentiated natural killer (NK) lineage cells that share phenotypic, functional, and morphologic characteristics with adherent interleukin-2 (IL-2)-activated NK cells. We now show that conditions that induce resting splenic NK cells to develop into adherent, activated cells induce the expression of opn mRNA. Nonstimulated NK cells did not express opn mRNA detectable by Northern analysis. However, expression was evident by day 1-2 of culture of NK cells with IL-2, increased to high levels by day 4, and was maintained at high levels thereafter. Thus, expression of mRNA for OPN, a secreted protein associated with cell adhesion, embryonic development, tissue remodeling, and immune regulation, is up-regulated during the activation of NK cells.
During pregnancy, many large granular NK lineage cells that are recognized by mAb 4H12 accumulate at uterine implantation sites. Similar large, granular, 4H12+ NK cells accumulate during the 2nd wk of culture of IL-2-activated NK cells. Inasmuch as uterine NK cell lytic activity is suppressed during pregnancy, apparently due to the effects of PGE2, we have analyzed the effect of PGE2 on the phenotype, morphology, and lytic activity of IL-2-activated NK cells as a model for NK cell differentiation at uterine implantation sites. When cultures of IL-2-activated NK cells were supplemented with 1 microM PGE2, the cells increased in size and granularity, accompanied by an increase in the number of cells expressing the 4H12 Ag. This effect was specific to PGE2 because PGF2 alpha at the same concentration had no effect. In addition, changes in morphology and up-regulation of 4H12 Ag expression could be augmented by 100 mM dibutyryl cAMP, but not 100 mM dibutyryl cGMP, suggesting that the PGE2 effects are mediated by changes in cytoplasmic cAMP levels. When indomethacin was added to cultures of IL-2-activated NK cells at the beginning of the culture period, 4H12 expression was markedly reduced. Indomethacin also increased the cytolytic capacity of NK cells and reduced the number of cells that developed the large granular morphology characteristic of 4H12+ cells. When activated NK cells were sorted into 4H12+ and 4H12- populations and tested for their ability to kill YAC-1 cells, we found that 4H12+ NK cells have lower lytic activity as compared to the 4H12- subset. Furthermore, when activated NK cells were labeled with [3H]TdR, combined with 4H12 labeling, we found that the 4H12+ subset was not proliferative. These results are likely to have direct relevance to NK cell differentiation at uterine implantation sites where NK cell activity is suppressed by PGE2, 4H12 expression is up-regulated and NK cells differentiate into large, granular and relatively nonlytic cells termed granulated metrial gland cells.
The differentiation of the cellular components of the uterine decidua, in particular the life history of NK cells, is poorly understood. With the use of two mAbs that recognize stage-specific activation Ags on NK cells, we investigated the development of NK cells known as granulated metrial gland (GMG) cells. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that mAb 3C2, but not mAb 4H12, recognized numerous cells throughout the uterine decidua basalis during early gestation. Isolated (panned) 3C2+ decidual cells from day 7 of pregnancy co-expressed the NK1.1 Ag, displayed NK cytolytic activity, and proliferated in IL-2-containing media. A small percentage of those cells expressed the GMG-associated Ag 4H12. Immunohistochemical analysis of serial sections at midgestation demonstrated that most of the 3C2+ NK cells co-expressed 4H12 Ag. During the later part of pregnancy, however, 3C2 expression in the decidua was down-regulated, and the cells expressed high levels of 4H12 Ag. When 3C2+ NK cells were isolated from cell suspensions of decidua from 7-day pregnant mice, and cultured in IL-2-containing medium, the cells developed the large and granular morphology characteristics of GMG cells, and acquired 4H12 Ag. These results demonstrate that 4H12+ GMG cells differentiate from 3C2+, NK1.1+, cytolytic precursors that reside in the decidua during early gestation.
Using a new mAb, 4H12, that recognizes a plasma membrane-associated Ag on granulated metrial gland cells, we identified subsets of murine NK cells in spleen cell-derived adherent lymphokine activated killer cells and in the spleens of neonatal and pregnant mice. In spleen cell adherent-lymphokine-activated killer cultures, 4H12 Ag was detected on a small subset of cells after 7 days culture and expression increased with time to 70% of the cells after 21 days culture. 4H12+ cells were large (up to 70 microns) and granular. The Ag was also detected in the cytoplasmic granules of some, but not all 4H12 surface positive cells. Coexpression studies indicated 4H12+ cells were predominantly positive for the NK1.1 and ASGM1 Ag, negative for the MAC-1 and F4/80 Ag, and +/- for the LGL-1 and CD3 Ag. Subsets of 4H12+/-, LGL-1+/- exhibited morphologic characteristics restricted to specific phenotypic subsets. The 4H12-/LGL-1+ subset was shown to contain the smallest, least granular cells, whereas the 4H12+/LGL-1+/- subsets contained the largest and most granular cells. Although 4H12 expression was negligible in the spleens of normal adult mice, spleen cells of neonatal and pregnant mice contained subsets of NK1.1+ cells that coexpressed 4H12. The 4H12+/NK1.1+ and 4H12-/NK1.1+ subsets displayed differential levels of NK1.1 expression. 4H12+ NK cells were NK1.1 low to high, whereas 4H12- NK cells were NK1.1 high only. The functional significance of subsets of NK cells in IL-2 culture and in the spleens of neonatal and pregnant mice remains to be elucidated.
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