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Song S, Zhi Y, Tian G, Sun X, Chen Y, Qiu W, Jiao W, Huang H, Yu Y, Li M, Lv G. Immature and activated phenotype of blood NK cells is associated with acute rejection in adult liver transplant. Liver Transpl 2023; 29:836-848. [PMID: 37002601 DOI: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells contribute to liver transplant (LTx) rejection. However, the blood-circulating NK-cell dynamics of patients who experience acute rejection (AR) are unclear. Herein, we longitudinally profiled the total NK cells and their subsets, along with the expression of activating and inhibitory receptors in sequential peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples, spanning from before LTx to the first year after LTx of 32 patients with AR and 30 patients under a steady immune status. Before transplantation, patients with AR (rejectors) contained a significantly higher proportion of the immature CD56 bright CD16 - subset and a lower cytolytic CD56 dim CD16 + in the total blood-circulating NK cells than patients with steady immunity. Both subsets contained a high NKp30-positive population, and CD56 dim CD16 + additionally exhibited a high NKp46-positive ratio. The NKp30-positive ratio in CD56 dim CD16 + subset showed the most prominent AR predictive ability before LTx and was an independent risk factor of LTx AR. After transplantation, the blood-circulating NK cells in rejectors maintained a higher CD56 bright CD16 - and lower CD56 dim CD16 + composition than the controls throughout the first year after LTx. Moreover, both subsets maintained a high NKp30-positive ratio, and CD56 dim CD16 + retained a high NKp46-positive ratio. The blood-circulating NK cell subset composition was consistent during AR, while the expressions of NKp30 and NKp46 were augmented. Collectively, a more immature CD56 bright CD16 - subset composition and an activated phenotype of high NKp30 expression were the general properties of blood-circulating NK cells in rejected LTx recipients, and the NKp30-positive ratio in CD56 dim CD16 + NK subset before LTx possessed AR predictive potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shifei Song
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, General Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
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Pazina T, Shemesh A, Brusilovsky M, Porgador A, Campbell KS. Regulation of the Functions of Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors by Interactions with Diverse Ligands and Alterations in Splice Variant Expression. Front Immunol 2017; 8:369. [PMID: 28424697 PMCID: PMC5371597 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The natural cytotoxicity receptor (NCR) family is constituted by NKp46, NKp44, and NKp30 in humans, which are expressed mainly on natural killer (NK) cells and are encoded by the ncr1, ncr2, and ncr3 genes, respectively. NCRs have classically been defined as activating receptors that trigger cytotoxicity and cytokine responses by NK cells upon engaging with ligands on tumor cells. Several new findings, however, have challenged this model and identified alternative mechanisms regulating the function of NCRs. Recent reports indicate that ligand matters, since the interaction of NKp44 with distinct ligands on target cells can either activate or inhibit NK cells. Also, the NCRs have been found to interact with distinct specificities to various heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans, which are complex polysaccharides found in extracellular matrix or on cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). The NCRs can engage with HSPGs in trans as a co-ligand on the target cells or in cis on the NK cell surface to regulate receptor–ligand interactions and NK cell activation. A number of splice variants of ncr2 and ncr3 have also been identified, and a predominant expression of certain variants results in inhibitory signaling through NKp44 and NKp30. Several recent studies have found that the selective expression of some of these inhibitory splice variants can significantly influence outcome in the contexts of cancer, infection, and pregnancy. These findings establish that NCR functions are more diverse than originally thought, and better understanding of their splice variant expression profiles and ligand interactions are needed to establish their functional regulation in the context of human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Pazina
- Blood Cell Development and Function Program, Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Institute of Experimental Medicine", St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Avishai Shemesh
- Faculty of Health Sciences, The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Michael Brusilovsky
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Angel Porgador
- Faculty of Health Sciences, The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Kerry S Campbell
- Blood Cell Development and Function Program, Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Fahrner R, Dondorf F, Ardelt M, Settmacher U, Rauchfuss F. Role of NK, NKT cells and macrophages in liver transplantation. World J Gastroenterol 2016; 22:6135-6144. [PMID: 27468206 PMCID: PMC4945975 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i27.6135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Revised: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver transplantation has become the treatment of choice for acute or chronic liver disease. Because the liver acts as an innate immunity-dominant organ, there are immunological differences between the liver and other organs. The specific features of hepatic natural killer (NK), NKT and Kupffer cells and their role in the mechanism of liver transplant rejection, tolerance and hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury are discussed in this review.
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Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are effector cells of the innate immune system that can lyse target cells without prior sensitization and have an important role in host defense to pathogens and transformed cells. A balance between negative and positive signals transmitted via germ line-encoded inhibitory and activating receptors controls the function of NK cells. Although the concept of "missing-self" would suggest that NK cells could target foreign allografts, the prevailing dogma has been that NK cells are not active participants in the mechanisms that culminate in the rejection of solid organ allografts. Recent studies, however, challenge this conclusion and instead implicate NK cells in contributing to both graft rejection and tolerance to an allograft. In this review, we highlight recent studies with the goal of understanding the complex NK cell interactions that impact alloimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uzi Hadad
- Division of Abdominal Transplantation, Department of Surgery and Stanford Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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Wai LE, Garcia JA, Martinez OM, Krams SM. Distinct roles for the NK cell-activating receptors in mediating interactions with dendritic cells and tumor cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2010; 186:222-9. [PMID: 21106845 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1002597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
NK cells are innate immune cells that are important in tumor immunity, but also have the ability to modulate the adaptive immune system through cytokine production or direct cell-cell interactions. This study investigates the interaction of NK cells with dendritic cells (DCs) and tumor cells, and the role of specific NK cell-activating receptors in this process. Primary rat NK cells and an NK cell line produced IFN-γ when cocultured with either DCs or the rat hepatoma cell line McA-RH7777 (McA). This NK cell activation by DCs and McA required cell-cell contact and was dependent on distinct NK-activating receptors. Silencing NK cell expression of NKp46 and NKp30 significantly diminished DC- and McA-mediated NK cell IFN-γ production, respectively. NK cells killed immature and mature DCs independently of NKp46, NKp30, and NKG2D; however, cytotoxicity against McA cells was dependent on NKp30 and NKG2D. Thus, we have shown in this study that NKp30 plays dual activating roles in NK-McA tumor interactions by mediating cytokine production and cytotoxicity. More importantly, NK cells are activated by both DCs and hepatoma cells to produce IFN-γ, but require distinct NK cell-activating receptors, NKp46 and NKp30, respectively. Our data suggest that therapeutics could be developed specifically to target NK-DC interactions without compromising NK tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu-En Wai
- Division of Transplantation and Program in Immunology, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Lin YC, Huang YC, Wang YS, Juang RH, Liao KW, Chu RM. Canine CD8 T cells showing NK cytotoxic activity express mRNAs for NK cell-associated surface molecules. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2009; 133:144-53. [PMID: 19709755 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2009.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2008] [Revised: 07/19/2009] [Accepted: 07/27/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have been considered to be a group of lymphocytes lacking clonally distributed receptors for antigens typical of T cells and B cells. In some mammalian species, including humans, a subpopulation of CD8(+) peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) exhibits NK activity. This NK subpopulation has not been well characterized in mammals and its characterization is particularly poor in the dog. In this study, we demonstrated that a subset of canine CD8(+) cells derived from PBLs and lymphokine (IL-2)-activated killers (LAKs) of PBLs that was CD3(+), CD4(-), CD21(-), CD5(lo), alpha/betaTCR(+), and gamma/deltaTCR(-) contained substantially higher levels of mRNAs for NK cell-related receptors (NKp30, NKp44, NKG2D, 2B4, and CD16 for PBL, and NKG2D and CD56 for LAK) than the corresponding CD8(-) cells. This subset of CD8(+) lymphocytes derived from LAKs also displayed significantly higher NK cytotoxic activity than the corresponding CD8(-) cells. In contrast, CD8(+) cells derived from nonstimulated PBLs showed very low levels of NK cytotoxic activity. Our results indicate that, in IL-2-stimulated PBLs, canine CD8(+) cells are an important subset associated with NK cytotoxic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chun Lin
- Animal Cancer Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, 1, Roosevelt Road, Section 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan, ROC
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Riddle-Taylor E, Nagasaki K, Lopez J, Esquivel CO, Martinez OM, Krams SM. Mutations to bid cleavage sites protect hepatocytes from apoptosis after ischemia/reperfusion injury. Transplantation 2007; 84:778-85. [PMID: 17893612 PMCID: PMC4084732 DOI: 10.1097/01.tp.0000281555.18782.2b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Apoptosis of hepatocytes contributes to many forms of liver pathology and can compromise liver function. Hepatocytes have been shown to require mitochondrial disruption to execute apoptosis, a process that is controlled by members of the Bcl-2 family. Bid is a proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member that is cleaved to its active form, tBid, by caspase 8 and granzyme B. Studies in the Bid-deficient mouse have established that hepatocytes require Bid to undergo apoptosis. METHODS We generated aspartic acid to glutamic acid mutations in the rat Bid protein, at the caspase 8 and granzyme B cleavage sites, and utilized recombinant adenoviruses to express this protein in hepatoma cells and in the livers of rats. RESULTS Cells transduced with recombinant adenoviruses encoding Bid containing mutations to the caspase 8 and granzyme B cleavage sites are significantly protected from both tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced and cell-mediated apoptosis. Protection occurs through a mechanism that includes decreased Bid cleavage, caspase activation, and mitochondrial membrane damage. Further, after warm ischemia/reperfusion injury, we show that rats expressing cleavage-resistant Bid in the liver display significantly less hepatocyte apoptosis as compared to control rat livers and this results in improved liver function and survival. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that reagents that prevent the cleavage of Bid would be an effective strategy to inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis and decrease liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Riddle-Taylor
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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Hsieh CL, Nagasaki K, Martinez OM, Krams SM. NKp30 is a functional activation receptor on a subset of rat natural killer cells. Eur J Immunol 2006; 36:2170-80. [PMID: 16821237 PMCID: PMC4084722 DOI: 10.1002/eji.200635982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
NKp30 is a stimulatory receptor on human NK cells implicated in tumor immunity, and is capable of promoting or terminating dendritic cell maturation. To gain a better understanding of NKp30 biology, we have investigated the expression and function of rat NKp30 (rNKp30). We generated stable transfectants of rNKp30 in RNK16 cells, a rat NK lymphoma line, and used a novel panel of mAb against rNKp30 to study this receptor. Using agonistic rNKp30 mAb, we demonstrated that rNKp30 mediates robust IFN-gamma production and cytolytic responses from rNKp30-transfected RNK16 cells. We determined by flow cytometry that rNKp30 is expressed by a subset of primary NK cells isolated from the blood and spleen, and to a lesser extent also on liver NK cells. Stimulation of rNKp30 on primary NK cells led to IFN-gamma production. Liver NK cells expressed low levels of NKp30 and had reduced rNKp30-mediated IFN-gamma responses. During an alloimmune response in vivo, the proportion of the rNKp30(+) NK cell subset in the peripheral blood significantly increased, suggesting that rNKp30 may play an important role during alloactivation. Thus, our data demonstrate that NKp30 is indeed expressed in rodents and is a functional stimulatory receptor in a subset of rat NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine L Hsieh
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation and Program in Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5492, USA
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Bishara A, Brautbar C, Zamir G, Eid A, Safadi R. Impact of HLA-C and Bw epitopes disparity on liver transplantation outcome. Hum Immunol 2006; 66:1099-105. [PMID: 16571410 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2005.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2005] [Revised: 09/10/2005] [Accepted: 10/10/2005] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of graft rejection episodes after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) despite the use of immunosuppressive drugs designed to suppress T lymphocyte functions, indicates the involvement of other types of cells in this process. The activity of natural killer cells and their killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) is regulated by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I determinants; C and Bw epitopes. Because recipient/donor pairs are usually HLA mismatched, recipient natural killer alloreactivity may be the mediating factor in rejection. In this retrospective study, we have analyzed rejection occurrence and outcome in 66 OLT recipients, 42 with and 24 without C or Bw epitope disparity in the rejection direction. Recipients transplanted from donors with no C epitope disparity had significantly fewer rejection episodes in the first year after transplantation compared with recipients transplanted across C epitope disparity (p = 0.0002). Moreover, this effect was more pronounced when the outcome was analyzed in OLT recipients across negative crossmatching for the anti-HLA class I and II antibodies. In contrast, Bw epitope disparity did not affect the outcome. In conclusion, C epitopes disparity between recipients and donors in the rejection direction appears to influence posttransplant liver outcome. This finding may be helpful in the choice of appropriate liver donor and planning immune suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Bishara
- Tissue Typing Unit, Division of Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Obara H, Nagasaki K, Hsieh CL, Ogura Y, Esquivel CO, Martinez OM, Krams SM. IFN-gamma, produced by NK cells that infiltrate liver allografts early after transplantation, links the innate and adaptive immune responses. Am J Transplant 2005; 5:2094-103. [PMID: 16095488 PMCID: PMC1473982 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2005.00995.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The role of NK cells following solid organ transplantation remains unclear. We examined NK cells in acute allograft rejection using a high responder model (DA-->Lewis) of rat orthotopic liver transplantation. Recipient-derived NK cells infiltrated liver allografts early after transplantation. Since chemokines are important in the trafficking of cells to areas of inflammation, we determined the intragraft expression of chemokines known to attract NK cells. CCL3 was significantly increased in allografts at 6 h post-transplant as compared to syngeneic grafts whereas CCL2 and CXCL10 were elevated in both syngeneic and allogeneic grafts. CXCL10 and CX3CL1 were significantly upregulated in allografts by day 3 post-transplant as compared to syngeneic grafts suggesting a role for these chemokines in the recruitment of effector cells to allografts. Graft-infiltrating NK cells were shown to be a major source of IFN-gamma, and IFN-gamma levels in the serum were markedly increased, specifically in allograft recipients, by day 3 post-transplant. Accordingly, in the absence of NK cells the levels of IFN-gamma were significantly decreased. Furthermore, graft survival was significantly prolonged. These data suggest that IFN-gamma-producing NK cells are an important link between the innate and adaptive immune responses early after transplantation.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Chemokine CCL2/metabolism
- Chemokine CCL3
- Chemokine CCL4
- Chemokine CX3CL1
- Chemokine CXCL10
- Chemokines/metabolism
- Chemokines, CC/biosynthesis
- Chemokines, CX3C/metabolism
- Chemokines, CXC/metabolism
- Cytokines/metabolism
- Densitometry
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Flow Cytometry
- Graft Rejection
- Immune System
- Immunity, Innate
- Inflammation
- Interferon-gamma/biosynthesis
- Interferon-gamma/metabolism
- Killer Cells, Natural/cytology
- Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism
- Liver Transplantation/methods
- Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins/biosynthesis
- Membrane Proteins/metabolism
- Models, Biological
- Rats
- Rats, Inbred Lew
- Ribonucleases/metabolism
- Time Factors
- Transplantation Immunology
- Transplantation, Homologous
- Transplantation, Isogeneic
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideaki Obara
- Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5492
| | - Kazuhito Nagasaki
- Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5492
| | - Christine L. Hsieh
- Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5492
| | - Yasuhiro Ogura
- Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5492
| | - Carlos O. Esquivel
- Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5492
| | - Olivia M. Martinez
- Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5492
| | - Sheri M. Krams
- Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5492
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr. Sheri M. Krams, Transplant Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1201 Welch Road, MSLS P313, MC: 5492, Stanford, CA 94305-5492., Phone: (650) 498-6246, Fax: (650) 498-6250, email address:
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia M Martinez
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5492, USA.
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