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Updated: Feb 16, 2026

Isolation of Uterine Innate Lymphoid Cells for Analysis by Flow Cytometry
Published on: October 14, 2021
Interleukins 12 and 15 induce cytotoxicity and early NK-cell differentiation in type 3 innate lymphoid cells
Ana Raykova1, Paolo Carrega2, Frank M Lehmann3,4
1Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) fulfill protective functions at mucosal surfaces via cytokine production. Although their plasticity to become ILC1s, the innate counterparts of type 1 helper T cells, has been described previously, we report that they can differentiate into cytotoxic lymphocytes with many characteristics of early differentiated natural killer (NK) cells. This transition is promoted by the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 12 (IL-12) and IL-15, and correlates with expression of the master transcription factor of cytotoxicity, eomesodermin (Eomes). As revealed by transcriptome analysis and flow cytometric profiling, differentiated ILC3s express CD94, NKG2A, NKG2C, CD56, and CD16 among other NK-cell receptors, and possess all components of the cytotoxic machinery. These characteristics allow them to recognize and kill leukemic cells with perforin and granzymes. Therefore, ILC3s can be harnessed for cytotoxic responses via differentiation under the influence of proinflammatory cytokines.
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