Characterization of IFNγ-producing natural killer cells induced by cytomegalovirus reactivation after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

• DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13916
• Publication Date: 2016-12-13T18:04:09Z
• Authors: Fengyan Jin; Hai Lin; Sujun Gao; Hengxiang Wang; Hongmin Yan; Jinglong Guo; Zheng Hu; Chunhui Jin; Yongqi Wang; Zhidong Wang; Yangzhi Zhao; Yu Liu; Xiaoli Zheng; Yehui Tan; Wei Li; Yun Dai; Yanping Yang
• Keywords: Hematology

During human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after umbilical cord blood or HLA-matched hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a population of NKG2C-expressing natural killer (NK) cells expand and persist. The expanded NK express high levels inhibitory immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) specific for self-HLA potently produce IFNγ. However, it remains unknown whether similar events would occur haploidentical HSCT (haplo-HSCT). Here, we demonstrated that IFNγ-producing were in haplo-HSCT patients with CMV reactivation. We then identified these as subset CD56dim expressed higher both NKG2C KIR, but lower level NKG2A. Functionally, the expressing self-KIR reactivation accounted IFNγ production response to K562 cells. phenomena not observed without therefore characterized CD56dim, NKG2C+, self-KIR+ phenotype responsible during haplo-HSCT. Together, findings support notion induces expansion more mature memory-like features, which contributes long-term control leukemia relapse