Comparative analysis of natural killer cell activity, lymphoproliferation and lymphocyte surface antigen expression in nonhuman primates housed at the CIRMF Primate Center, Gabon

Abstract

Six different species of nonhuman primates housed at the CIRMF Primate Center, cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), vervets (Cercopithecus aethiops pygerythrus), chimpanzees (Pan troglodyte) and baboons (Papio hamadryas), were evaluated for their natural killer cell activity and for the ability of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells to proliferate in response to known mitogens (concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin and staphylococcal enterotoxin A) and to react with a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies directed against human leukocyte surface antigens. Basic information on normal immune functions in these primates is important because of their use as experimental animal models for the study of human diseases such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), hepatitis, loiasis and malaria.

Phenotypic and cytolytic activity ofMacaca nemestrina natural killer cells isolated from blood and expanded in vitro

“…In contrast, CD161/CD3-cells were associated with high levels of killing of K562 cells, which suggests that this phenotype likely contained M. nemestrina NK cells. In M. mulata (rhesus), CD56 has been reported to have [Poaty-Mavoungou et al, 2001] and not have [Carter et al, 1999] cytolytic killing function against K562 cells To test the relationship between CD56 expression and killing of K562 cells, we sorted cells into CD16-/ CD561 and CD161/CD3-/CD56-populations. The CD16-/CD561 population was associated with low K562 killing, while the CD161/CD3-/CD56-cells produced the highest K562 killing (Fig.…”

“…[ Mingari et al, 1995]. We made an initial assumption that CD16 (FcgRIII) would be present on NK from M. nemestrina based on the fact that NK cells from humans [Colucci et al, 2002;Moretta et al, 2001Moretta et al, , 2002b, M. mulata [Carter et al, 1999;Poaty-Mavoungou et al, 2001], and cynomologus monkeys [Yamada et al, 1989] all express CD16, and that CD16 expression would be required for antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). CD16 is present on a variety of cell types and is not a unique marker for NK cells.…”

“…This is in contrast to human NK cells that express both CD16 and CD56, with CD161/CD56 dim cells producing the greatest cytolytic activity, and CD16 low /CD56 bright cells having low cytolytic activity but high cytokine production [Colucci et al]. Although NK cell activity in other nonhuman primates has been evaluated with the use of cytolytic assays, NK cells were a priori identified as having a CD561/CD3-phenotype [Poaty-Mavoungou et al, 2001]. Using this phenotype, Poaty-Mavoungou et al [2001] noted varying degrees of killing of K562 cells in different nonhuman primate species, including the rhesus macaque.…”

Effect of anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibody, Rituxan, on cynomolgus monkey and human B cells in a whole blood matrix

“…Recent studies have demonstrated several key phenotypic differences between peripheral blood T and natural killer cell subsets in humans and cynomolgus monkey. For example, in contrast to humans, cynomolgus monkeys have (a) a substantial population of CD4/CD8 double‐positive T cells (2); (b) a lower CD4 + :CD8 + T‐cell ratio (3); (c) CD90 + lymphocytes (1); and (d) CD56 + monocytes and CD56 − natural killer cells (1). The differences between cynomolgus monkey and human B cells are not completely understood.…”

Characterization of baboon NK cells and their xenogeneic activity

“…The identification of CD56 on NHP PBMC is more controversial. CD56 has been identified on peripheral blood cells of a number of non‐human primate species [27,30,34]. However, the levels of expression of CD56 and the characterization of CD56 + cells as NK cells with cytolytic activity are not consistent among the studies that have been reported.…”