In vivo expression of natural killer cell inhibitory receptors by human melanoma–specific cytolytic T lymphocytes

DE Speiser, MJ Pittet, D Valmori, R Dunbar… - The Journal of …, 1999 - rupress.org
DE Speiser, MJ Pittet, D Valmori, R Dunbar, D Rimoldi, D Liénard, HR MacDonald…
The Journal of experimental medicine, 1999rupress.org
Natural killer (NK) receptor signaling can lead to reduced cytotoxicity by NK cells and
cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in vitro. Whether T cells are inhibited in vivo remains
unknown, since peptide antigen–specific CD8+ T cells have so far not been found to
express NK receptors in vivo. Here we demonstrate that melanoma patients may bear tumor-
specific CTLs expressing NK receptors. The lysis of melanoma cells by patient-derived CTLs
was inhibited by the NK receptor CD94/NKG2A. Thus, tumor-specific CTL activity may be …
Natural killer (NK) receptor signaling can lead to reduced cytotoxicity by NK cells and cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in vitro. Whether T cells are inhibited in vivo remains unknown, since peptide antigen–specific CD8+ T cells have so far not been found to express NK receptors in vivo. Here we demonstrate that melanoma patients may bear tumor-specific CTLs expressing NK receptors. The lysis of melanoma cells by patient-derived CTLs was inhibited by the NK receptor CD94/NKG2A. Thus, tumor-specific CTL activity may be decreased through NK receptor triggering in vivo.
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