IL-15 induces CD8+ T cells to acquire functional NK receptors capable of modulating cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion

Correia, Margareta P.; Costa, Alexandra V.; Uhrberg, Markus; Cardoso, Elsa M.; Arosa, FA

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.6/15122

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Authors

Correia, Margareta P.

Abstract(s)

During the last years several authors have described a small population of CD8+ T cells expressing NK receptors (NKRs). Although their origin remains largely unknown, we have recently demonstrated that IL-15 is capable of inducing NKR expression in purified human CD8+CD56− T cells. In this study we show that IL-15-driven NKR induction in CD8+ T cells was linked with CD56 de novo acquisition, consistent with an effector-memory phenotype, increased anti-apoptotic levels, high granzyme B/perforin expression and with the ability of displaying in vitro NK-like cytotoxicity. Interestingly, dissection of NKR functional outcome in IL-15-cultured CD8+ T cells revealed: (i) that NKG2D cross-linking was able per se to upregulate degranulation levels and (ii) that KIR and NKG2A cross-linking upregulated secretion of cytokines such as IFN-, TNF-, IL-1 and IL-10. These results suggest that IL-15 is capable of differentiating CD8+ T cells into NK-like T cells displaying a regulatory phenotype.