Expression Patterns of Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-Like Receptors

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 5; p. e64936
• Main Authors: Hermes, Meike, Albrecht, Christina, Schrod, Annette, Brameier, Markus, Walter, Lutz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science 22-05-2013
• Subjects: Immunoglobulins; Lymphocytes
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064936

The expression of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) on lymphocytes of rhesus macaques and other Old World monkeys was unknown so far. We used our recently established monoclonal anti-rhesus macaque KIR antibodies in multicolour flow cytometry for phenotypic characterization of KIR protein expression on natural killer (NK) cells and T cell subsets of rhesus macaques, cynomolgus macaques, hamadryas baboons, and African green monkeys. Similar to human KIR, we found clonal expression patterns of KIR on NK and T cell subsets in rhesus macaques and differences between individuals using pan-KIR3D antibody 1C7 and antibodies specific for single KIR. Similar results were obtained with lymphocytes from the other studied species. Notably, African green monkeys show only a low frequency of KIR3D expressed on CD8.sup.+ [alpha][beta]T cells. Contrasting human NK cells are KIR-positive CD56bright NK cells and frequencies of KIR-expressing NK cells that are independent of the presence of their cognate MHC class I ligands in rhesus macaques. Interestingly, the frequency of KIR-expressing cells and the expression strength of KIR3D are correlated in [gamma][delta] T cells of rhesus macaques and CD8.sup.+ [alpha][beta]T cells of baboons.