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Characterization of functional surface structures on human natural killer cells.
J Ritz1, R E Schmidt, J Michon
1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
Advances in Immunology
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Natural killer (NK) cells, identified by NKH1 and CD2 antigens, lack T cell receptors and mediate cytotoxicity without MHC restriction. CD2 may play a role in NK cell function, but its absence in some subsets suggests alternative interaction mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Human NK cells are a heterogeneous population with distinct surface antigens.
- Specific antigens are associated with NK cell functions and can be used for classification.
- NK cells exhibit cytolytic activity against various targets without prior sensitization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a framework for classifying cytolytic effector cells based on surface antigens.
- To identify distinct functional subsets of NK cells.
- To investigate the interaction mechanisms of NK cells with target cells.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of surface antigen expression on NK cells (NKH1, CD2, CD3).
- Assessment of T cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement and mRNA transcripts.
- Evaluation of NK cell functional characteristics, including cytolytic activity and adhesion molecule utilization (LFA-1).
Main Results:
- The majority of NK cells express NKH1 and CD2 but not CD3.
- These NK cells lack TCR gene rearrangement and functional TCR transcripts.
- NK cells utilize LFA-1 for adhesion and can be activated via CD2, suggesting a potential role for CD2 in NK cell function.
Conclusions:
- NKH1+CD3- NK cells do not interact with targets via a T cell receptor-like structure.
- NK cells share functional properties with cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), including CD2 and LFA-1 expression.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the precise role of CD2 and identify NK cell receptors for target interaction.