Natural killer cells determine the outcome of B cell–mediated autoimmunity

• DOI: 10.1038/79792
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T08:45:45Z
• Authors: Fu-Dong Shi; Hua-Bing Wang; Hulun Li; Seokmann Hong; Masaru Taniguchi; Hans Link; Luc Van Kaer; Hans-Gustaf Ljung...
• Keywords: B-Lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes; Interleukin-8; Molecular Sequence Data; Autoimmunity; Receptors, Nicotinic; Lymphocyte Activation; Torpedo; Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental; 3. Good health; Killer Cells, Natural; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Interferon-gamma; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Antibody Formation; Animals; Female; Immunization; Inbreeding; Amino Acid Sequence; Autoantibodies

Natural killer (NK) cells can affect the outcome of adaptive immune responses. NK cells, but not NK1.1+T cells, were found to participate in the development of myasthenia gravis (a T cell-dependent, B cell- and antibody-mediated autoimmune disease) in C57BL/6 mice. The requirement for NK cells was reflected by the lack of a type I helper T cell response and antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor in both NK1.1+ cell-depleted and NK cell-deficient IL-18-/- mice. These findings establish a previously unrecognized link between NK cells and autoreactive T and B cells.