妊娠子宫微环境中uNK细胞NKG2A和NKG2D及其配体表达的研究

目的：研究妊娠子宫微环境中子宫自然杀伤细胞（uNK细胞）NKG2A和NKG2D及其相应配体的表达，探讨NKG2A与NKG2D的不平衡表达在母胎免疫耐受形成中的作用。方法：选择30例孕6-9周的正常妊娠妇女,分离其新鲜蜕膜组织，除去绒毛,分离蜕膜和外周血单个核细胞，采用流式细胞仪测定NK细胞的数量及NKG2A与NKG2D的表达；采用RT-PCR技术检测滋养层组织NKG2A与NKG2D配体人类白细胞抗原-E(HLA-E)、主要组织相容性复合体-Ⅰ类分子相关蛋白A(MICA)mRNA的表达结果：妊娠子宫蜕膜淋巴细胞中NK细胞约占70%,流式细胞分析的结果显示，子宫自然杀伤细胞NKG2A的表达显著高于外周血NK细胞，分别为97.86%±1.75%与33.35%±10.92%（〖AKx-D〗±s），两者差异显著（P<0.05），在滋养层细胞中检测到其配体HLA-E的表达；而与外周血相比，uNK细胞表面NKG2D的表达与之较为相近，分别为93.21%±4.52%与97.80%±1.72%，但两者仍有显著差异（P<0.05）。在滋养层组织未检测到其相应配体MICA mRNA的表达结论：蜕膜中的淋巴细胞主要为NK细胞，其免疫学表型与外周血NK细胞有较大的区别，妊娠期子宫自然杀伤细胞表面高表达抑制性受体NKG2A，同时滋养层组织表达相应的配体人类白细胞抗原-E，这可能是维持母胎界面免疫耐受的重要因素。     

卵巢肿瘤患者自然杀伤细胞活化性受体NKG2D与其配体MICA表达的初步研究

目的:研究卵巢癌、良性卵巢肿瘤患者外周血NK细胞表面活化性受体NKG2D的表达及局部组织中相应配体MICA的表达情况,并结合临床病理因素分析探讨宿主NK细胞受体NKG2D在抗卵巢癌中的作用及其与肿瘤免疫逃逸的关系。方法:对4 2例卵巢癌、2 3例良性卵巢肿瘤及2 0例正常妇女,采用流式细胞术检测外周血NK细胞NKG2D的表达状况,RT PCR技术检测在上述部分相应组织标本中MICA的表达。结果:恶性、良性卵巢肿瘤患者及正常人外周血NK细胞NKG2D的表达水平分别为( 94 2 3±6 0 2 ) %、( 98 70±0 98) %、( 98 6 1±1 5 9) % ,恶性组与另两组之间比较,差异有统计学意义(P <0 0 5 ) ;相应配体MICA在卵巢癌组织中的表达率较良性卵巢肿瘤中明显增高,差异有统计学意义(P <0 0 1) ;在卵巢癌病人是否绝经、不同组织类型、分化程度、手术分期及是否淋巴转移等各组临床病理情况下,其表达率未见明显差异(P >0 0 5 )。结论:卵巢恶性肿瘤患者外周血NK细胞活性降低,其活化性受体NKG2D表达的下降是NK细胞活性下降的原因之一。NKG2D的配体MICA的基因表达可能与卵巢癌的恶性转化有一定的相关性,卵巢癌的免疫逃逸可能与NKG2D表达下调及其配体MI CA的表达升高有关     

卵巢肿瘤患者外周血NK细胞受体NKG2A、NKG2D及NK活性检测的临床意义

通过研究卵巢癌及良性卵巢肿瘤患者外周血NK细胞表面受体的表达情况及NK活性的变化,分析探讨宿主NK细胞受体与肿瘤免疫逃逸的关系及其临床价值。分离受检者外周血单个核细胞,应用MTT法检测NK细胞的细胞毒活性,流式细胞术检测NK细胞受体NKG2D和NKG2A的表达,并结合临床病理因素作比较分析。结果显示,与良性卵巢肿瘤组和正常组相比,卵巢癌患者外周血NK细胞的细胞毒活性降低,NK细胞表面NKG2D的表达水平降低,而NKG2A的表达水平明显升高,其变化与卵巢癌的病情进展有关。此结果表明,卵巢癌患者机体NK细胞杀伤活性下降,NKG2D与NKG2A二者之间的平衡表达可能对NK细胞的功能状态起着重要的调节作用。     

早孕外周血及蜕膜中NK细胞表型及T淋巴细胞亚群的变化

目的: 检测孕妇外周血及蜕膜中T淋巴细胞亚群和NK细胞表型, 探讨它们与母-胎界面免疫耐受的关系.方法: 收集20例早孕同一患者的蜕膜组织及外周血, 密度梯度离心法分离出淋巴细胞, 流式细胞术(FCM)检测两组中NK细胞、 T细胞含量及其表面分子CD16、 NKG2A、 NKG2D表达水平.结果: 蜕膜自然杀伤(dNK)细胞占蜕膜淋巴细胞(57.15±4.0)%, 外周血自然杀伤(pNK)细胞占外周血淋巴细胞(11.46±1.58)%; dNK细胞表面CD16的表达明显低于pNK细胞, 二者分别(10.3±3.9)%与(95.6±2.6)%(P＜0.05); dNK细胞表面NKG2A的表达明显高于pNK细胞, 二者分别为(87.10±4.5) %与(27.5±4.2)% (P＜0.01), dNK细胞NKG2D的表达水平与外周血NK细胞相近, 分别为(88.70±4.1)%与(93.10±3.6)% (P＜0.05); 蜕膜中的CD4 T淋巴细胞的表达低于外周血中CD4 T淋巴细胞, 二者分别为(13.70±1.0)%与(15.85±2.4)% (P＜0.05), 蜕膜中CD8 T淋巴细胞表达明显低于外周血中CD8 T淋巴细胞, 二者分别为(15.23±1.5)%与(18.85±1.73)%(P＜0.01).结论: 妊娠期蜕膜中的NK细胞及T淋巴细胞可能是同维持母-胎界面的免疫耐受的重要原因.     

氧化应激可选择性诱导细胞的NKG2D配体的表达

目的 探讨氧化应激与细胞NKG2D配体表达的关系,分析氧化应激对NK细胞功能的影响。方法 加H2O2诱导培养的肿瘤细胞处于氧化应激状态。用RT-PCR、Real-time PCR和流式细胞仪等方法分析细胞多种NKG2D配体的表达。用CCK-8法检测NK92细胞对肿瘤细胞的杀伤活性。结果 氧化应激可诱导肿瘤细胞多种NKG2D配体的表达,不同的肿瘤细胞诱导表达的NKG2D配体不同;NKG2D配体表达上调可有效提高NK细胞的细胞毒活性,此效应可被抗NKG2D抗体所阻断。结论 NKG2D配体可能在机体的免疫应答中发挥正向的调节作用。     

NKG2D配体在鼻咽癌细胞的表达及其对NK细胞杀伤活性的影响

NK细胞对靶细胞的杀伤活性与其细胞表面的受体和靶细胞表面的配体密切相关，NKG2D为NK细胞活化性受体，表达于所有的NK细胞表面，是介导NK细胞识别和溶解肿瘤细胞的主要活化性受体。NKG2D配体为MHCⅠ类链相关基因产物（MICA、MICB）及ULBPS（人巨细胞病毒UL16蛋白的结合蛋白ULBP1、ULBP2、ULBP3），NKG2D的配体在多种肿瘤细胞表达，其在鼻咽癌细胞的表达尚未见报道。本文通过流式细胞仪技术探讨其在鼻咽癌细胞CNE2的表达情况，并进一步分析其在NK细胞杀伤CNE2细胞中的作用。     

抗NKG2D多克隆抗体抑制NK和LAK细胞细胞毒效应的研究

目的 :分析抗NKG2D多克隆抗体 ( pAb)对NK和LAK细胞毒作用的影响。方法 :应用密度梯度离心法分离外周血单个核细胞 (PBMC) ,经 10mg/LPHA和 1× 10 6U/LrhIL 2诱导LAK细胞产生 ,再应用流式细胞术 (FCM)分选NK细胞并进行表型检测。加入抗NKG2DpAb封闭NK和LAK细胞表面的NKG2D分子后 ,用MTT比色法检测其细胞毒效应。结果 :经FCM分析证实 ,获得高纯度、高活性的NK细胞。抗NKG2DpAb能显著抑制NK和LAK细胞对K5 6 2、HepG2细胞的细胞毒效应。NK细胞对两种靶细胞的细胞毒效应分别下降了 82 .9%和 75 .6 % ;LAK细胞对两种靶细胞的细胞毒效应分别下降了 5 2 .8%和 5 0 .2 %。但抗NKG2DpAb不能显著抑制两种效应细胞对人鼻咽癌细胞系CNE的细胞毒效应。结论 :抗NKG2DpAb可通过封闭NK和LAK细胞表面的NKG2D分子 ,抑制其对肿瘤细胞的细胞毒效应     

乏氧对人外周血NK细胞NKG2A、NKG2D及CD44表达的影响

目的： 观察乏氧微环境对人外周血自然杀伤细胞(NK)表面自然杀伤细胞2族成员A(NKG2A)、自然杀伤细胞2族成员D(NKG2D)及CD44分子表达的影响,探讨乏氧抑制NK细胞杀伤活性的分子机制。方法: 采用密度梯度离心法分离健康人外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）,贴壁去除单核细胞获得外周血淋巴细胞（PBL）,分别置常氧（21％O2）、乏氧（1％O2）以及有或无人重组白细胞介素2(rhIL-2)（1×106 U/L）刺激条件下培养16 h,流式细胞术（FCM）检测不同 NK细胞亚群 NKG2A、NKG2D以及CD44分子的表达。结果: 常氧条件,人外周血CD3-CD56+NK细胞NKG2A、NKG2D表达的阳性率分别为16.16%和78.45%,乏氧条件下二者表达的阳性率分别为15.16%和71.08%;rhIL-2上调NKG2A和NKG2D的表达,乏氧不影响 rhIL-2对NKG2D、 NKG2A的上调作用;rhIL-2显著上调NK细胞CD44的表达,乏氧抑制CD44的表达（P<0.05）。结论: 乏氧下调外周血NK细胞表面受体NKG2D及CD44的表达,但对NKG2A的表达无显著影响。由此提示,NKG2D及CD44分子可能在乏氧引起的NK细胞杀伤活性抑制中具有重要作用。     

导入NKG5—SV基因增强细胞杀伤活性的研究

目的研究免疫效应蛋白NKG5的拼接异构体基因NKG5-SV导入外周血自然杀伤细胞(NK细胞)对其杀伤活性的影响.方法Percoll细胞分离液分离外周血NK细胞,流式细胞仪检测分离后CD56阳性细胞浓度.以逆转录病毒为载体将NKG5-SV基因和对照基因LacZ导入NK细胞,Northernblot检测NKG5-SV的表达,K562细胞杀伤实验检测病人NK细胞转染NKG5基因前后和正常人NK细胞的NK活性.结果Percoll分离后的淋巴细胞CD56阳性细胞为77.44%,分离前为15.88%.病人NK细胞经NKG5-SV基因转染后NKG5-SVmRNA表达增高.病人NK细胞、NK-LacZ细胞、NK-NKG5-SV细胞和正常人NK细胞对K562的杀伤活性分别为5.96%±0.38%、6.03%±0.42%(P＞0.05)、27.67%±0.18%(P＜0.01)、30.33%±0.83%(P＜0.01).结论免疫效应蛋白基因导入NK细胞,可增强NK细胞的杀伤活性.     

HIV原发感染者自然杀伤样T细胞NKG2A/NKG2D变化的研究

目的深入了解人类免疫缺陷病毒(human immunodeficiency virus,HIV)原发感染者(primary HIV infection,PHI)NKT样细胞表面NKG2A/NKG2D受体表达的变化。方法选取25例未经高效抗逆转录病毒治疗的HIV原发感染者和27例HIV抗体阴性健康对照,用流式细胞仪检测研究对象外周血NKT样细胞表面NKG2D和NKG2A的表达。结果 HIV原发感染者NKT样细胞绝对数和百分率显著低于健康对照(P<0.01)。HIV原发感染者NKT样细胞表面NKG2A、NKG2D受体表达与健康对照并无显著差异。HIV原发感染者病毒调定点低组NKG2A+NKT样细胞、NKG2A+NKG2D-NKT样细胞以及NKG2A+NKG2D+NKT样细胞百分率均显著低于病毒调定点高组(P<0.05);NKT细胞绝对数和百分率、NKG2D+NKT样细胞、NKG2D+NKG2A-NKT样细胞百分率在两组间相似,没有显著性差异。NKG2A+NKT细胞的百分比与病毒载量正相关(R=0.430,P=0.032)。结论 NKT样细胞数量以及其表面NKG2A受体的表达可作为HIV疾病进程的预测指标之一。     

活化性受体NKG2D及其配体的研究进展

NK细胞是肌体免疫系统至关重要的组成部分，其表达多种活化性和抑制性细胞表面受体。NKG2D是较为独特的活化性受体，属C型凝集素家族跨膜蛋白，分布较广，NK细胞、T细胞和其他免疫细胞都可以产生，其配体具有多样性，MHCⅠ类相关分子（MIC）是人类NKG2D识别的配体之一，应激性表达在一些肿瘤细胞或病原体感染细胞的表面。NKG2D既能直接活化NK细胞，又能以协同刺激的方式促进CD8^＋αβT细胞的活化，在抗肿瘤免疫和病毒感染等方面发挥重要作用。     

Women with Pre-Eclampsia Have an Altered NKG2A and NKG2C Receptor Expression on Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cells

Problem  Preeclampsia, a pregnancy disorder, is associated with exaggerated inflammation and increased serum monokines. Uterine natural killer (NK) cells are implicated in preeclampsia pathology, but little is known regarding peripheral NK cells in the disease.
Method of Study  We examined blood NK cells at delivery in women with preeclampsia, in healthy pregnant women and in healthy non-pregnant blood donors as a reference.
Results  Although the percentages of both NKG2A- and NKG2C-positive NK cells were normal in preeclamptic women, the levels of NKG2A and NKG2C on NK cells were significantly up-regulated in these women. In vitro stimulation of PBMCs from healthy pregnant women and blood donors with monokines resulted in increased percentage of NKG2A⁺ NK cells and increased NKG2A levels, while levels of NKG2C were decreased.
Conclusions  Our results suggest that the peripheral NK-cell pool is skewed in preeclampsia and possibly under the influence of monokines like interleukin (IL)-15 and IL-12.     

The activating receptor NKG2D of natural killer cells promotes resistance against enterovirus‐mediated inflammatory cardiomyopathy

In enterovirus‐induced cardiomyopathy, information regarding the detailed impact of natural killer (NK) cells on the outcome of the disease is limited. We therefore hypothesized that NK cells and certain NK cell receptors determine the different outcome of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) myocarditis. Here, we demonstrate in murine models that resistance to chronic CVB3 myocarditis in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice is characterized by significantly more mature CD11b^high NK cells, the presence of NKG2D on NK cells, and enhanced NKG2D‐dependent cytotoxicity compared to CVB3‐susceptible A.BY/SnJ mice. The highly protective role of NKG2D in myocarditis was further proven by in vivo neutralization of NKG2D as well as in NKG2D‐deficient mice but was shown to be independent of CD8⁺ T‐cell‐dependent immunity. Moreover, the adoptive transfer of immunocompetent C57BL/6 NK cells pre‐ (day ?1) as well as post‐infectionem (day +2) displayed the potential to prevent permissive A.BY/SnJ mice from a progressive outcome of CVB3 myocarditis reflected by significantly improved cardiopathology and heart function. Altogether, our results provide firm evidence for a protective role of NKG2D‐activated NK cells in CVB3 myocarditis leading to an effective virus clearance, thus offering novel therapeutic options in the treatment of virus‐induced myocarditis. Copyright © 2014 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd     

The CD94/NKG2A inhibitory receptor educates uterine NK cells to optimize pregnancy outcomes in humans and mice

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CMV drives clonal expansion of NKG2C+ NK cells expressing self-specific KIRs in chronic hepatitis patients

Natural killer (NK) cells are affected by infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) manifested by increased expression of the HLA-E binding activating receptor NKG2C. We here show that HCMV seropositivity was associated with a profound expansion of NKG2C(+) CD56(dim) NK cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Multi-color flow cytometry revealed that the expanded NKG2C(+) CD56(dim) NK cells displayed a highly differentiated phenotype, expressed high amounts of granzyme B and exhibited polyfunctional responses (CD107a, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) to stimulation with antibody-coated as well as HLA-E expressing target cells but not when stimulated with IL-12/IL-18. More importantly, NKG2C(+) CD56(dim) NK cells had a clonal expression pattern of inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) specific for self-HLA class I molecules, with predominant usage of KIR2DL2/3. KIR engagement dampened NKG2C-mediated activation suggesting that such biased expression of self-specific KIRs may preserve self-tolerance and limit immune-pathology during viral infection. Together, these findings shed new light on how the human NK-cell compartment adjusts to HCMV infection resulting in clonal expansion and differentiation of educated and polyfunctional NK cells.     

NKG2-C is a receptor on human natural killer cells that recognizes structures on K562 target cells

NKG2-C is a member of the recently discovered NKG2 family of genes and proteins, which are preferentially expressed on human natural killer (NK) cells. These potential NK cell receptors belong to a larger class of type II transmembrane proteins with a C-type lectin domain. We show here that NKG2-C is expressed as a 36-kDa glycoprotein by translation in vitro, recombinant expression and immunoprecipitation from a human NK cell clone. Further, a recombinant soluble NKG2-C-receptor binds specifically to K562 cells, which are target cells for NK cell killing, and to RPMI 8866 cells, which are feeder cells for NK cells; several other hematopoietic cell lines tested do not show any binding. The binding structures on the surface of K562 cells disappear, concomitant with a loss in susceptibility to killing when the cells are induced to differentiate with phorbol ester and Ca²⁺ ionophore. Our data suggest the presence of specific target molecules for NKG2-C on K562 cells, since overall glycosylation, Lewis X and Lewis Y structures, as well as the mucin-like CD43 molecule, do not change following induction of the cells. We propose that NKG2-C mediates a specific interaction of NK cells and their target cells with functional importance for NK cell killing.     

Association of NKG2A with treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Natural killer (NK) cells are critical to the immune response to viral infections. Their functions are controlled by receptors for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, including NKG2A and killer‐cell immunoglobulin‐like receptors (KIR). In order to evaluate the role of MHC class I receptors in the immune response to hepatitis C virus infection we have studied patients with chronic HCV infection by multi‐parameter flow cytometry directly ex vivo. This has permitted evaluation of combinatorial expression of activating and inhibitory receptors on single NK cells. Individuals with chronic HCV infection had fewer CD56^dim NK cells than healthy controls (4·9 ± 3·4% versus 9·0 ± 5·9%, P < 0·05). Expression levels of the inhibitory receptor NKG2A was up‐regulated on NK cells from individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) (NKG2A mean fluorescence intensity 5692 ± 2032 versus 4525 ± 1646, P < 0·05). Twelve individuals were treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. This resulted in a down‐regulation of NKG2A expression on CD56^dim NK cells. Individuals with a sustained virological response (SVR) had greater numbers of NKG2A‐positive, KIR‐negative NK cells than those without SVR (27·6 ± 9·6% NK cells versus 17·6 ± 5·7, P < 0·02). Our data show that NKG2A expression is dysregulated in chronic HCV infection and that NKG2A‐positive NK cells are associated with a beneficial response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy.