NK cell responsiveness is tuned commensurate with the number of inhibitory receptors for self-MHC class I: the rheostat model

NT Joncker, NC Fernandez, E Treiner… - The Journal of …, 2009 - journals.aai.org
NT Joncker, NC Fernandez, E Treiner, E Vivier, DH Raulet
The Journal of Immunology, 2009journals.aai.org
Inhibitory receptors that engage self-MHC class I molecules enable NK cells to detect
disease-associated loss of MHC class I on surrounding cells. Previous studies showed that
some NK cells lack all receptors for self-MHC class I, yet fail to exhibit autoimmunity because
they are generally hyporesponsive to stimulation. We asked whether NK cells exist in only
two states, responsive and hyporesponsive, corresponding to cells that express or fail to
express inhibitory receptors for self-MHC class I. The alternative model is that NK cells vary …
Abstract
Inhibitory receptors that engage self-MHC class I molecules enable NK cells to detect disease-associated loss of MHC class I on surrounding cells. Previous studies showed that some NK cells lack all receptors for self-MHC class I, yet fail to exhibit autoimmunity because they are generally hyporesponsive to stimulation. We asked whether NK cells exist in only two states, responsive and hyporesponsive, corresponding to cells that express or fail to express inhibitory receptors for self-MHC class I. The alternative model is that NK cells vary continuously in their responsiveness, based on variations in the number of different inhibitory and stimulatory receptors they express, which is known to vary. In this study, we show in the murine system that NK cell responsiveness increases quantitatively with each added self-MHC-specific inhibitory receptor. Genetic analysis demonstrated that interactions of each of the receptors with self-MHC class I were necessary to observe augmented responsiveness. These findings suggest that NK cell responsiveness is comparable to a rheostat: it is tuned to an optimal set point depending on the inhibitory and stimulatory interactions encountered in the normal environment, so as to ensure self-tolerance and yet optimize sensitivity to changes in normal cells.
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