Expression of CD226 is associated to but not required for NK cell education.

Wagner AK, Kadri N, Snäll J, Brodin P, Gilfillan S, Colonna M, Bernhardt G, Höglund P, Kärre K, Chambers BJ

Nat Commun 8 (-) 15627 [2017-05-31; online 2017-05-31]

DNAX accessory molecule-1 (DNAM-1, also known as CD226) is an activating receptor expressed on subsets of natural killer (NK) and T cells, interacts with its ligands CD155 or CD112, and has co-varied expression with inhibitory receptors. Since inhibitory receptors control NK-cell activation and are necessary for MHC-I-dependent education, we investigated whether DNAM-1 expression is also involved in NK-cell education. Here we show an MHC-I-dependent correlation between DNAM-1 expression and NK-cell education, and an association between DNAM-1 and NKG2A that occurs even in MHC class I deficient mice. DNAM-1 is expressed early during NK-cell development, precedes the expression of MHC-I-specific inhibitory receptors, and is modulated in an education-dependent fashion. Cd226-/- mice have missing self-responses and NK cells with a normal receptor repertoire. We propose a model in which NK-cell education prevents or delays downregulation of DNAM-1. This molecule endows educated NK cells with enhanced effector functions but is dispensable for education.

Cellular Immunomonitoring [Collaborative]

PubMed 28561023

DOI 10.1038/ncomms15627

Crossref 10.1038/ncomms15627

pii: ncomms15627
pmc: PMC5460037


Publications 9.5.0