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Pandey A, Nowakowski P, Ureña Martin C, Abu Ahmad M, Edri A, Toledo E, Tzadka S, Walther J, Le Saux G, Porgador A, Smith AS, Schvartzman M. Membrane Fluctuation Model for Understanding the Effect of Receptor Nanoclustering on the Activation of Natural Killer Cells through Biomechanical Feedback. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:5395-5402. [PMID: 38684070 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c02815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
We investigated the role of ligand clustering and density in the activation of natural killer (NK) cells. To that end, we designed reductionist arrays of nanopatterned ligands arranged with different cluster geometries and densities and probed their effects on NK cell activation. We used these arrays as an artificial microenvironment for the stimulation of NK cells and studied the effect of the array geometry on the NK cell immune response. We found that ligand density significantly regulated NK cell activation while ligand clustering had an impact only at a specific density threshold. We also rationalized these findings by introducing a theoretical membrane fluctuation model that considers biomechanical feedback between ligand-receptor bonds and the cell membrane. These findings provide important insight into NK cell mechanobiology, which is fundamentally important and essential for designing immunotherapeutic strategies targeting cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Pandey
- Department of Materials Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Piotr Nowakowski
- Group for Computational Life Sciences, Division of Physical Chemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Carlos Ureña Martin
- Department of Materials Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Muhammad Abu Ahmad
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Avishay Edri
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Esti Toledo
- Department of Materials Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Sivan Tzadka
- Department of Materials Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Jonas Walther
- PULS Group, Institut für Theoretische Physik, IZNF, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Guillaume Le Saux
- Department of Materials Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Angel Porgador
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Ana-Sunčana Smith
- Group for Computational Life Sciences, Division of Physical Chemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- PULS Group, Institut für Theoretische Physik, IZNF, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mark Schvartzman
- Department of Materials Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
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Nersesian S, Carter EB, Lee SN, Westhaver LP, Boudreau JE. Killer instincts: natural killer cells as multifactorial cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1269614. [PMID: 38090565 PMCID: PMC10715270 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1269614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells integrate heterogeneous signals for activation and inhibition using germline-encoded receptors. These receptors are stochastically co-expressed, and their concurrent engagement and signaling can adjust the sensitivity of individual cells to putative targets. Against cancers, which mutate and evolve under therapeutic and immunologic pressure, the diversity for recognition provided by NK cells may be key to comprehensive cancer control. NK cells are already being trialled as adoptive cell therapy and targets for immunotherapeutic agents. However, strategies to leverage their naturally occurring diversity and agility have not yet been developed. In this review, we discuss the receptors and signaling pathways through which signals for activation or inhibition are generated in NK cells, focusing on their roles in cancer and potential as targets for immunotherapies. Finally, we consider the impacts of receptor co-expression and the potential to engage multiple pathways of NK cell reactivity to maximize the scope and strength of antitumor activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nersesian
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Emily B. Carter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Stacey N. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Jeanette E. Boudreau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Kuiper JJ, Prinz JC, Stratikos E, Kuśnierczyk P, Arakawa A, Springer S, Mintoff D, Padjen I, Shumnalieva R, Vural S, Kötter I, van de Sande MG, Boyvat A, de Boer JH, Bertsias G, de Vries N, Krieckaert CL, Leal I, Vidovič Valentinčič N, Tugal-Tutkun I, El Khaldi Ahanach H, Costantino F, Glatigny S, Mrazovac Zimak D, Lötscher F, Kerstens FG, Bakula M, Viera Sousa E, Böhm P, Bosman K, Kenna TJ, Powis SJ, Breban M, Gul A, Bowes J, Lories RJ, Nowatzky J, Wolbink GJ, McGonagle DG, Turkstra F. EULAR study group on ‘MHC-I-opathy’: identifying disease-overarching mechanisms across disciplines and borders. Ann Rheum Dis 2023:ard-2022-222852. [PMID: 36987655 DOI: 10.1136/ard-2022-222852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The ‘MHC-I (major histocompatibility complex class I)-opathy’ concept describes a family of inflammatory conditions with overlapping clinical manifestations and a strong genetic link to the MHC-I antigen presentation pathway. Classical MHC-I-opathies such as spondyloarthritis, Behçet’s disease, psoriasis and birdshot uveitis are widely recognised for their strong association with certain MHC-I alleles and gene variants of the antigen processing aminopeptidases ERAP1 and ERAP2 that implicates altered MHC-I peptide presentation to CD8+T cells in the pathogenesis. Progress in understanding the cause and treatment of these disorders is hampered by patient phenotypic heterogeneity and lack of systematic investigation of the MHC-I pathway.Here, we discuss new insights into the biology of MHC-I-opathies that strongly advocate for disease-overarching and integrated molecular and clinical investigation to decipher underlying disease mechanisms. Because this requires transformative multidisciplinary collaboration, we introduce the EULAR study group on MHC-I-opathies to unite clinical expertise in rheumatology, dermatology and ophthalmology, with fundamental and translational researchers from multiple disciplines such as immunology, genomics and proteomics, alongside patient partners. We prioritise standardisation of disease phenotypes and scientific nomenclature and propose interdisciplinary genetic and translational studies to exploit emerging therapeutic strategies to understand MHC-I-mediated disease mechanisms. These collaborative efforts are required to address outstanding questions in the etiopathogenesis of MHC-I-opathies towards improving patient treatment and prognostication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Jw Kuiper
- Department of Ophthalmology, Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jörg C Prinz
- University Hospital, department of Dermatology and Allergy, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munchen, Germany
| | - Efstratios Stratikos
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Piotr Kuśnierczyk
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Tissue Immunology, Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy Ludwik Hirszfeld Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Akiko Arakawa
- University Hospital, department of Dermatology and Allergy, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munchen, Germany
| | | | - Dillon Mintoff
- Department of Dermatology, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta
- Department of Pathology, University of Malta Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Msida, Malta
| | - Ivan Padjen
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb Department of Internal Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
- University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Russka Shumnalieva
- Clinic of Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Seçil Vural
- School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ina Kötter
- Clinic for Rheumatology and Immunology, Bad Bramdsted Hospital, Bad Bramstedt, Germany
- Division of Rheumatology and Systemic Inflammatory Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marleen G van de Sande
- University of Amsterdam, Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology and Department of Experimental Immunology, Amsterdam Institute for Infection & Immunity, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center (ARC) | Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ayşe Boyvat
- Department of Dermatology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Joke H de Boer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - George Bertsias
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Crete School of Medicine, Iraklio, Greece
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity-Inflammation, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Niek de Vries
- University of Amsterdam, Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology and Department of Experimental Immunology, Amsterdam Institute for Infection & Immunity, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center (ARC) | Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Lm Krieckaert
- Amsterdam Rheumatology and immunology Center (ARC)| Reade, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Rheumatology, Reade Hoofdlocatie Dr Jan van Breemenstraat, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Inês Leal
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte EPE, Lisboa, Portugal
- Centro de Estudeos das Ciencias da Visão, Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Medicina, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nataša Vidovič Valentinčič
- University Eye Clinic, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ilknur Tugal-Tutkun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hanane El Khaldi Ahanach
- Departement of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Ophthalmology, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Félicie Costantino
- Service de Rheumatology, Hospital Ambroise-Pare, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
- Infection & Inflammation, UMR 1173, Inserm, UVSQ, University Paris-Saclay, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Simon Glatigny
- Infection & Inflammation, UMR 1173, Inserm, UVSQ/Université Paris Saclay, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence Inflamex, Paris, France
| | | | - Fabian Lötscher
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Floor G Kerstens
- Amsterdam Rheumatology and immunology Center (ARC)| Reade, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Rheumatology, Reade Hoofdlocatie Dr Jan van Breemenstraat, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marija Bakula
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb Department of Internal Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Elsa Viera Sousa
- Rheumatology Research Unit Molecular João Lobo Antunes, University of Lisbon Medical Faculty, Lisboa, Portugal
- Rheumatology DepartmentSanta Maria Centro Hospital, Academic Medical Centre of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Peter Böhm
- Patientpartner, German League against Rheumatism, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kees Bosman
- Patientpartner, Nationale Vereniging ReumaZorg, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Tony J Kenna
- Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Simon J Powis
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews School of Medicine, St Andrews, UK
| | - Maxime Breban
- Service de Rheumatology, Hospital Ambroise-Pare, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
- Infection & Inflammation, UMR 1173, Inserm, UVSQ, University Paris-Saclay, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Ahmet Gul
- Division of Rheumatology, Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - John Bowes
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Center, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Rik Ju Lories
- Department of Rheumatology, KU Leuven University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johannes Nowatzky
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, NYU Langone Behçet's Disease Program, NYU Langone Ocular Rheumatology Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gerrit Jan Wolbink
- Amsterdam Rheumatology and immunology Center (ARC)| Reade, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department Immunopathology, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dennis G McGonagle
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Franktien Turkstra
- Amsterdam Rheumatology and immunology Center (ARC)| Reade, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Rheumatology, Reade Hoofdlocatie Dr Jan van Breemenstraat, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Grewal RK, Das J. Spatially resolved in silico modeling of NKG2D signaling kinetics suggests a key role of NKG2D and Vav1 Co-clustering in generating natural killer cell activation. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010114. [PMID: 35584138 PMCID: PMC9154193 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural Killer (NK) cells provide key resistance against viral infections and tumors. A diverse set of activating and inhibitory NK cell receptors (NKRs) interact with cognate ligands presented by target host cells, where integration of dueling signals initiated by the ligand-NKR interactions determines NK cell activation or tolerance. Imaging experiments over decades have shown micron and sub-micron scale spatial clustering of activating and inhibitory NKRs. The mechanistic roles of these clusters in affecting downstream signaling and activation are often unclear. To this end, we developed a predictive in silico framework by combining spatially resolved mechanistic agent based modeling, published TIRF imaging data, and parameter estimation to determine mechanisms by which formation and spatial movements of activating NKG2D microclusters affect early time NKG2D signaling kinetics in a human cell line NKL. We show co-clustering of NKG2D and the guanosine nucleotide exchange factor Vav1 in NKG2D microclusters plays a dominant role over ligand (ULBP3) rebinding in increasing production of phospho-Vav1(pVav1), an activation marker of early NKG2D signaling. The in silico model successfully predicts several scenarios of inhibition of NKG2D signaling and time course of NKG2D spatial clustering over a short (~3 min) interval. Modeling shows the presence of a spatial positive feedback relating formation and centripetal movements of NKG2D microclusters, and pVav1 production offers flexibility towards suppression of activating signals by inhibitory KIR ligands organized in inhomogeneous spatial patterns (e.g., a ring). Our in silico framework marks a major improvement in developing spatiotemporal signaling models with quantitatively estimated model parameters using imaging data. Natural Killer cells are lymphocytes of our innate immunity and provide important resistance against viral infections and tumors. NK cells scan the local environment with diverse activating and inhibitory NK cell receptors (NKRs) and remain tolerized or lyse target cells expressing cognate ligands to NKRs. NKRs have been found to form micron sized clusters (or microclusters) as they interact with cognate ligands, and mechanisms regarding how the formation and movements of these microclusters influence NK cell signaling and activation, specifically related to activating NKRs, are often unclear. To this end, we develop a predictive spatially resolved early-time NK cell signaling model to study the interplay between membrane-proximal biochemical signaling events and the kinetics of microclusters of activating NKG2D and inhibitory KIR2DL2 receptors. We used published TIRF imaging data to validate our in silico models and estimate model parameters. Predictions from multiple in silico models are tested against a variety of data obtained from published imaging experiments and immunoassays. Our analysis suggests co-clustering of NKG2D and the guanosine nucleotide exchange factor Vav1 in the microclusters plays a major role in enhancing downstream activating signals. The developed framework can be extended to describe spatiotemporal signaling for other activating NKRs including CD16.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajdeep Kaur Grewal
- Battelle Center for Mathematical Medicine, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jayajit Das
- Battelle Center for Mathematical Medicine, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Prikhodko IV, Guria GT. Dynamic Effects in Nucleation of Receptor Clusters. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 23:1245. [PMID: 34681969 PMCID: PMC8534492 DOI: 10.3390/e23101245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Nucleation theory has been widely applied for the interpretation of critical phenomena in nonequilibrium systems. Ligand-induced receptor clustering is a critical step of cellular activation. Receptor clusters on the cell surface are treated from the nucleation theory point of view. The authors propose that the redistribution of energy over the degrees of freedom is crucial for forming each new bond in the growing cluster. The expression for a kinetic barrier for new bond formation in a cluster was obtained. The shape of critical receptor clusters seems to be very important for the clustering on the cell surface. The von Neumann entropy of the graph of bonds is used to determine the influence of the cluster shape on the kinetic barrier. Numerical studies were carried out to assess the dependence of the barrier on the size of the cluster. The asymptotic expression, reflecting the conditions necessary for the formation of receptor clusters, was obtained. Several dynamic effects were found. A slight increase of the ligand mass has been shown to significantly accelerate the nucleation of receptor clusters. The possible meaning of the obtained results for medical applications is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan V. Prikhodko
- National Research Center for Hematology, 125167 Moscow, Russia;
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Georgy Th. Guria
- National Research Center for Hematology, 125167 Moscow, Russia;
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
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6
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The Role of NK Cells in EBV Infection and EBV-Associated NPC. Viruses 2021; 13:v13020300. [PMID: 33671917 PMCID: PMC7918975 DOI: 10.3390/v13020300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A vast majority of the population worldwide are asymptomatic carriers of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). However, some infected individuals eventually develop EBV-related cancers, including Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC). NPC is one of the most common EBV-associated epithelial cancers, and is highly prevalent in Southern China and Southeast Asia. While NPC is highly sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, there is a lack of effective and durable treatment among the 15%–30% of patients who subsequently develop recurrent disease. Natural Killer (NK) cells are natural immune lymphocytes that are innately primed against virus-infected cells and nascent aberrant transformed cells. As EBV is found in both virally infected and cancer cells, it is of interest to examine the NK cells’ role in both EBV infection and EBV-associated NPC. Herein, we review the current understanding of how EBV-infected cells are cleared by NK cells, and how EBV can evade NK cell-mediated elimination in the context of type II latency in NPC. Next, we summarize the current literature about NPC and NK cell biology. Finally, we discuss the translational potential of NK cells in NPC. This information will deepen our understanding of host immune interactions with EBV-associated NPC and facilitate development of more effective NK-mediated therapies for NPC treatment.
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7
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Kuiper JJW, Venema WJ. HLA-A29 and Birdshot Uveitis: Further Down the Rabbit Hole. Front Immunol 2020; 11:599558. [PMID: 33262772 PMCID: PMC7687429 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.599558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
HLA class I alleles constitute established risk factors for non-infectious uveitis and preemptive genotyping of HLA class I alleles is standard practice in the diagnostic work-up. The HLA-A29 serotype is indispensable to Birdshot Uveitis (BU) and renders this enigmatic eye condition a unique model to better understand how the antigen processing and presentation machinery contributes to non-infectious uveitis or chronic inflammatory conditions in general. This review will discuss salient points regarding the protein structure of HLA-A29 and how key amino acid positions impact the peptide binding preference and interaction with T cells. We discuss to what extent the risk genes ERAP1 and ERAP2 uniquely affect HLA-A29 and how the discovery of a HLA-A29-specific submotif may impact autoantigen discovery. We further provide a compelling argument to solve the long-standing question why BU only affects HLA-A29-positive individuals from Western-European ancestry by exploiting data from the 1000 Genomes Project. We combine novel insights from structural and immunopeptidomic studies and discuss the functional implications of genetic associations across the HLA class I antigen presentation pathway to refine the etiological basis of Birdshot Uveitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas J. W. Kuiper
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Wouter J. Venema
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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8
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Alicata C, Ashouri E, Nemat-Gorgani N, Guethlein LA, Marin WM, Tao S, Moretta L, Hollenbach JA, Trowsdale J, Traherne JA, Ghaderi A, Parham P, Norman PJ. KIR Variation in Iranians Combines High Haplotype and Allotype Diversity With an Abundance of Functional Inhibitory Receptors. Front Immunol 2020; 11:556. [PMID: 32300348 PMCID: PMC7142237 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that eliminate infected and transformed cells. They discriminate healthy from diseased tissue through killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) recognition of HLA class I ligands. Directly impacting NK cell function, KIR polymorphism associates with infection control and multiple autoimmune and pregnancy syndromes. Here we analyze KIR diversity of 241 individuals from five groups of Iranians. These five populations represent Baloch, Kurd, and Lur, together comprising 15% of the ethnically diverse Iranian population. We identified 159 KIR alleles, including 11 not previously characterized. We also identified 170 centromeric and 94 telomeric haplotypes, and 15 different KIR haplotypes carrying either a deletion or duplication encompassing one or more complete KIR genes. As expected, comparing our data with those representing major worldwide populations revealed the greatest similarity between Iranians and Europeans. Despite this similarity we observed higher frequencies of KIR3DL1*001 in Iran than any other population, and the highest frequency of HLA-B*51, a Bw4-containing allotype that acts as a strong educator of KIR3DL1*001+ NK cells. Compared to Europeans, the Iranians we studied also have a reduced frequency of 3DL1*004, which encodes an allotype that is not expressed at the NK cell surface. Concurrent with the resulting high frequency of strong viable interactions between inhibitory KIR and polymorphic HLA class I, the majority of KIR-A haplotypes characterized do not express a functional activating receptor. By contrast, the most frequent KIR-B haplotype in Iran expresses only one functional inhibitory KIR and the maximum number of activating KIR. This first complete, high-resolution, characterization of the KIR locus of Iranians will form a valuable reference for future clinical and population studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Alicata
- Department of Immunology, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Elham Ashouri
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,School of Medicine, Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Neda Nemat-Gorgani
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lisbeth A Guethlein
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Wesley M Marin
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Sudan Tao
- Blood Center of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.,Division of Personalized Medicine, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Lorenzo Moretta
- Department of Immunology, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Jill A Hollenbach
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - John Trowsdale
- Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - James A Traherne
- Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Abbas Ghaderi
- School of Medicine, Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Peter Parham
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Paul J Norman
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Division of Personalized Medicine, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
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Das J, Lanier LL. Data analysis to modeling to building theory in NK cell biology and beyond: How can computational modeling contribute? J Leukoc Biol 2019; 105:1305-1317. [PMID: 31063614 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.6mr1218-505r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of mathematical and computational tools in investigating Natural Killer (NK) cell biology and in general the immune system has increased steadily in the last few decades. However, unlike the physical sciences, there is a persistent ambivalence, which however is increasingly diminishing, in the biology community toward appreciating the utility of quantitative tools in addressing questions of biological importance. We survey some of the recent developments in the application of quantitative approaches for investigating different problems in NK cell biology and evaluate opportunities and challenges of using quantitative methods in providing biological insights in NK cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayajit Das
- Battelle Center for Mathematical Medicine, Research Institute at the Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Biophysics Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Lewis L Lanier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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