IL-2-dependent adaptive control of NK cell homeostasis. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Activation and expansion of T and B lymphocytes and myeloid cells are controlled by Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (T reg cells), and their deficiency results in a fatal lympho- and myeloproliferative syndrome. A role for T reg cells in the homeostasis of innate lymphocyte lineages remained unknown. Here, we report that T reg cells restrained the expansion of immature CD127(+) NK cells, which had the unique ability to up-regulate the IL2Rα (CD25) in response to the proinflammatory cytokine IL-12. In addition, we observed the preferential accumulation of CD127(+) NK cells in mice bearing progressing tumors or suffering from chronic viral infection. CD127(+) NK cells expanded in an IL-2-dependent manner upon T reg cell depletion and were able to give rise to mature NK cells, indicating that the latter can develop through a CD25(+) intermediate stage. Thus, T reg cells restrain the IL-2-dependent CD4(+) T cell help for CD127(+) immature NK cells. These findings highlight the adaptive control of innate lymphocyte homeostasis.

publication date

  • May 6, 2013

Research

keywords

  • Interleukin-2
  • Killer Cells, Natural

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC3674698

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 84880674997

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.smim.2011.10.002

PubMed ID

  • 23650439

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 210

issue

  • 6