Inhibitory NK receptor recognition of HLA-G: regulation by contact residues and by cell specific expression at the fetal-maternal interface

The non-classical HLA-G protein is distinguished from the classical MHC class I molecules by its expression pattern, low polymorphism and its ability to form complexes on the cell surface. The special role of HLA-G in the maternal-fetal interface has been attributed to its ability to interact with specific receptors found on maternal immune cells. However this interaction is restricted to a limited number of receptors. In this study we elucidate the reason for this phenomenon by comparing the specific contact residues responsible for MHC-KIR interactions. This alignment revealed a marked difference between the HLA-G molecule and other MHC class I molecules. By mutating these residues to the equivalent classical MHC residues, the HLA-G molecule regained an ability of interacting with KIR inhibitory receptors found on NK cells derived either from peripheral blood or from the decidua. Functional NK killing assays further substantiated the binding results. Furthermore, double immunofluorescent staining of placental sections revealed that while the conformed form of HLA-G was expressed in all extravillous trophoblasts, the free heavy chain form of HLA-G was expressed in more distal cells of the column, the invasion front. Overall we suggest that HLA-G protein evolved to interact with only some of the NK inhibitory receptors thus allowing a control of inhibition, while permitting appropriate NK cell cytokine and growth factor production necessary for a viable maternal fetal interface.

Determinants of pancreatic beta-cell regeneration

Recent studies have revealed a surprising plasticity of pancreatic beta-cell mass. beta-cell mass is now recognized to increase and decrease in response to physiological demand, for example during pregnancy and in insulin-resistant states. Moreover, we and others have shown that mice recover spontaneously from diabetes induced by killing of 70-80% of beta-cells, by beta-cell regeneration. The major cellular source for new beta-cells following specific ablation, as well as during normal homeostatic maintenance of adult beta-cells, is proliferation of differentiated beta-cells. More recently, it was shown that one form of severe pancreatic injury, ligation of the main pancreatic duct, activates a population of embryonic-type endocrine progenitor cells, which can differentiate into new beta-cells. The molecular triggers for enhanced beta-cell proliferation during recovery from diabetes and for activation of embryonic-type endocrine progenitors remain unknown and represent key challenges for future research. Taken together, recent data suggest that regenerative therapy for diabetes may be a realistic goal.

Intracellular cysteine residues in the tail of MHC class I proteins are crucial for extracellular recognition by leukocyte Ig-like receptor 1

The activity of NK cells is regulated by activating receptors that recognize mainly stress-induced ligands and by inhibitory receptors that recognize mostly MHC class I proteins on target cells. Comparing the cytoplasmic tail sequences of various MHC class I proteins revealed the presence of unique cysteine residues in some of the MHC class I molecules which are absent in others. To study the role of these unique cysteines, we performed site specific mutagenesis, generating MHC class I molecules lacking these cysteines, and demonstrated that their expression on the cell surface was impaired. Surprisingly, we demonstrated that these cysteines are crucial for the surface binding of the leukocyte Ig-like receptor 1 inhibitory receptor to the MHC class I proteins, but not for the binding of the KIR2DL1 inhibitory receptor. In addition, we demonstrated that the cysteine residues in the cytoplasmic tail of MHC class I proteins are crucial for their egress from the endoplasmic reticulum and for their palmitoylation, thus probably affecting their expression on the cell surface. Finally, we show that the cysteine residues are important for proper extracellular conformation. Thus, although the interaction between leukocyte Ig-like receptor 1 and MHC class I proteins is formed between two extracellular surfaces, the intracellular components of MHC class I proteins play a crucial role in this recognition.

HLA-G complexes are observed on the cell surface

In the context of pregnancy, several immunomodulating mechanisms have developed to regulate the maternal immune response to its semiallogeneic fetus. The nonclassical major histocompatibility complex class I human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) was suggested to be involved in these mechanisms due to its unique features and its immunosuppressive abilities. We have previously described the presence of HLA-G complexes at the cell surface, which confer an efficient natural killer inhibition through the leukocyte Ig-like receptor-1 (LIR-1). We further demonstrated the presence of HLA-G free heavy chain (FHC) complexes, which are not recognized and possibly interfere with LIR-1 and HLA-G interaction. Here we expand our understanding of the nature of the complexes by demonstrating that these complexes are observed mainly on the cell surface and not inside the cell. We further determine that the HLA-G stability at the cell surface is not a direct result of the presence of the HLA-G complexes. Finally, we suggest that the FHC complexes are probably assembled from the conformed complexes present on the cell surface.

Reduced KIR2DL1 recognition of MHC class I molecules presenting phosphorylated peptides

As initially described by K. Karre and colleagues in the missing self hypothesis, cells expressing self-MHC class I proteins are protected from NK cells attack. In contrast, reduction in the expression of MHC class I molecules due to viral infection or tumor transformation result in the killing of these "abnormal" cells by NK cells via NK-activating receptors. Thus, NK killing of target cells is determined by both negative signals coming from MHC class I proteins and by positive signals derived from the activating ligands. The bound peptide in MHC class I play an important role in the balanced recognition of NK cells. The peptide stabilizes the MHC complex and interacts directly with the NK inhibitory receptors, thus participating in the determination of the fate of the target cells. In this study we demonstrate that posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation of the presented peptide altered the ability of NK cells to recognize MHC class I molecules. By using a consensus peptide (QYDDAVYKL) that binds HLA-Cw4 in which different positions in the bound peptide were modified by serine phosphorylation, we observed a reduction in KIR2DL1 binding that led to decreased protection from NK killing. Therefore, it might be possible that alteration in the phosphorylation pattern during tumor transformation or viral infection may result in less inhibition and, consequently, improved NK cell killing.

The CD85J/leukocyte inhibitory receptor-1 distinguishes between conformed and beta 2-microglobulin-free HLA-G molecules

For a proper development of the placenta, maternal NK cells should not attack the fetal extravillous cytotrophoblast cells. This inhibition of maternal NK cells is partially mediated via the nonclassical MHC class I molecule HLA-G. Recently, we demonstrated that HLA-G forms disulfide-linked high molecular complexes on the surface of transfected cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that HLA-G must associate with beta(2)m for its interaction with CD85J/leukocyte Ig-like receptor-1 (LIR-1). Although HLA-G free H chain complexes are expressed on the surface, they are not recognized and possibly interfere with CD85J/LIR-1 and HLA-G interaction. The formation of these complexes on the cell surface might represent a novel mechanism developed specifically by the HLA-G protein aimed to control the efficiency of the CD85J/LIR-1-mediated inhibition. We also show that endogenous HLA-G complexes are expressed on the cell surface. These findings provide novel insights into the delicate interaction between extravillous cytotrophoblast cells and NK cells in the decidua.

Proteomic analysis of human natural killer cells: insights on new potential NK immune functions

Applying high-throughput proteomic analysis of mammalian cells can facilitate the identification of a large number of proteins expressed in the examined samples. Moreover, extensive research efforts are being made to perform large-scale characterization of membrane proteins. Here we use mass spectrometry-based proteomic strategy to characterize protein expression in membrane-enriched fractions derived from human NK lymphoma cell line YTS. This query yielded a list of over 1000 identified proteins, and provided us with new insights on NK cell biology. We highlight the expression of CD86 on YTS and its ability to co-stimulate TCR responses of human CD4+ T-cells, providing an unexpected link between innate and adaptive immune systems.

Inhibition of the NKp30 activating receptor by pp65 of human cytomegalovirus

Human cytomegalovirus, a chief pathogen in immunocompromised people, can persist in a healthy immunocompetent host throughout life without being eliminated by the immune system. Here we show that pp65, the main tegument protein of human cytomegalovirus, inhibited natural killer cell cytotoxicity by an interaction with the activating receptor NKp30. This interaction was direct and specific, leading to dissociation of the linked CD3zeta from NKp30 and, consequently, to reduced killing. Thus, pp65 is a ligand for the NKp30 receptor and demonstrates a unique mechanism by which an intracellular viral protein causes general suppression of natural killer cell cytotoxicity by specific interaction with an activating receptor.

Novel APC-like properties of human NK cells directly regulate T cell activation

Initiation of the adaptive immune response is dependent on the priming of naive T cells by APCs. Proteomic analysis of unactivated and activated human NK cell membrane-enriched fractions demonstrated that activated NK cells can efficiently stimulate T cells, since they upregulate MHC class II molecules and multiple ligands for TCR costimulatory molecules. Furthermore, by manipulating antigen administration, we show that NK cells possess multiple independent unique pathways for antigen uptake. These results highlight NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity and specific ligand recognition by cell surface-activating receptors on NK cells as unique mechanisms for antigen capturing and presentation. In addition, we analyzed the T cell-activating potential of human NK cells derived from different clinical conditions, such as inflamed tonsils and noninfected and CMV-infected uterine decidual samples, and from transporter-associated processing antigen 2-deficient patients. This in vivo analysis revealed that proinflammatory, but not immune-suppressive, microenvironmental requirements can selectively dictate upregulation of T cell-activating molecules on NK cells. Taken together, these observations offer new and unexpected insights into the direct interactions between NK and T cells and suggest novel APC-like activating functions for human NK cells.

Biological function of the soluble CEACAM1 protein and implications in TAP2-deficient patients

Interactions of natural killer (NK) cells with MHC class I proteins provide the main inhibitory signals controlling NK killing activity. It is therefore surprising to learn that TAP2-deficient patients suffer from autoimmune manifestations only occasionally in later stages of life. We have previously described that the CEACAM1-mediated inhibitory mechanism of NK cytotoxicity plays a major role in controlling NK autoreactivity in three newly identified TAP2-deficient siblings. This novel mechanism probably compensates for the lack of MHC class I-mediated inhibition. The CEACAM1 protein can also be present in a soluble form and the biological function of the soluble form of CEACAM1 with regard to NK cells has not been investigated. Here we show that the homophilic CEACAM1 interactions are abrogated in the presence of soluble CEACAM1 protein in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, the amounts of soluble CEACAM1 protein detected in sera derived from the TAP2-deficient patients were dramatically reduced as compared to healthy controls. This dramatic reduction does not depend on the membrane-bound metalloproteinase activity. Thus, the expression of CEACAM1 and the absence of soluble CEACAM1 observed in the TAP2-deficient patients practically maximize the inhibitory effect and probably help to minimize autoimmunity in these patients.

MHC Class I-Independent Recognition of NK-Activating Receptor KIR2DS4

Natural killer cells are capable of killing tumor and virus-infected cells. This killing is mediated primarily via the natural cytotoxicity receptors, including NKp46, NKp44, NKp30, and by the NKG2D receptor. Killer cell Ig-like receptors (KIRs) are mainly involved in inhibiting NK killing (inhibitory KIRs) via interaction with MHC class I molecules. Some KIRs, however, have been found to enhance NK killing when interacting with MHC class I molecules (activating KIRs). We have previously demonstrated that KIR2DS4, an activating KIR, recognizes the HLA-Cw4 protein. The interaction observed was weak and highly restricted to HLA-Cw4 only. These findings prompted us to check whether KIR2DS4 might have additional ligand(s). In this study, we show that KIR2DS4 is able to also interact with a non-class I MHC protein expressed on melanoma cell lines and on a primary melanoma. This interaction is shown to be both specific and functional. Importantly, site-directed mutagenesis analysis reveals that the amino acid residues involved in the recognition of this novel ligand are different from those interacting with HLA-Cw4. These results may shed new light on the function of activating KIRs and their relevance in NK biology.

Recognition ofMycoplasma hyorhinis by CD99-Fc molecule

The human CD99 protein is expressed on many cell types and is mostly abundant on lymphocytes and on several tumors. Different functions were attributed to the CD99 receptor, including adhesion, apoptosis and activation. However, until now the only ligand suggested to be recognized by CD99 was CD99 itself. In order to identify possible new CD99 ligands we constructed a CD99 protein fused to human IgG1. Surprisingly, a pronounced specific staining of melanoma cell lines that were infected with mycoplasmas was observed whereas clean cells were not recognized. Staining was specific, as other fusion proteins did not recognize the mycoplasma-infected cells. Sequencing of the 23s-16s region revealed that the contaminating agent is Mycoplasma hyorhinis. The CD99 interaction with M. hyorhinis was direct since it was blocked by anti-CD99 monoclonal antibody and by M. hyorhinis. It was also strain-specific as other mycoplasmas were not recognized. Our results show that CD99 interacts with a novel ligand of M. hyorhinis.

The mechanisms controlling NK cell autoreactivity in TAP2-deficient patients

The killing of natural killer (NK) cells is regulated by activating and inhibitory NK receptors that recognize mainly class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins. In transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP2)-deficient patients, killing of autologous cells by NK cells is therefore expected. However, none of the TAP2-deficient patients studied so far have suffered from immediate NK-mediated autoimmune manifestations. We have previously demonstrated the existence of a novel class I MHC-independent inhibitory mechanism of NK cell cytotoxicity mediated by the homophilic carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) interactions. Here, we identified 3 new siblings suffering from TAP2 deficiency. NK cells derived from these patients express unusually high levels of the various killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIRs) and the CEACAM1 protein. Importantly, the patients' NK cells use the CEACAM1 protein to inhibit the killing of tumor and autologous cells. Finally, we show that the function of the main NK lysis receptor, NKp46, is impaired in these patients. These results indicate that NK cells in TAP2-deficient patients have developed unique mechanisms to reduce NK killing activity and to compensate for the lack of class I MHC-mediated inhibition. These mechanisms prevent the attack of self-cells by the autologous NK cells and explain why TAP2-deficient patients do not suffer from autoimmune manifestations in early stages of life.

Special organization of the HLA-G protein on the cell surface

The human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) molecule possesses unique properties such as low polymorphism and restricted distribution mainly to the extravillous cytotrophoblast (EVT) cells. The EVT cells vigorously penetrate into the maternal decidual tissues and are found in contact with maternal lymphocytes, mainly with natural killer (NK) cells. The HLA-G molecule inhibits the effector function of maternal NK cells via interaction with the KIR2DL4 and the ILT-2 inhibitory NK receptors. Previously, we have demonstrated that complexes of the HLA-G protein are expressed on the cell surface. We reported that these complexes are formed due to the presence of two unique cysteine residues located at positions 42 and 147. Finally, we demonstrated that efficient binding and function of ILT-2 is dependent on the presence of HLA-G complexes on the cell surface. Here we expand the significance of these observations by revealing that complexes of HLA-G are present on the cell surface using different assays and cell lines and further demonstrate that complexes of HLA-G might be present in a soluble form after interaction with ILT-2. Therefore, the HLA-G molecule has developed a special mechanism to increase the avidity of NK receptors to the HLA-G molecule, which provides better protection for the fetus from maternal NK rejection.

The mechanisms controlling the recognition of tumor- and virus-infected cells by NKp46

The destruction of viral-infected and tumor cells is mediated in part via the lysis receptor of natural killer (NK) cells, NKp46. The nature, however, of its lysis ligands expressed on target cells is poorly defined. Recently, we have identified a novel functional interaction between the lysis receptors NKp46 and NKp44 and the hemagglutinin of influenza and hemagglutinin-neuroaminidase of Sendai viruses. This recognition depends on the sialylation of NKp46 and NKp44 receptors. In this study, we expand the significance of these observations by demonstrating a conserved pattern of NKp46 and NKp44 recognition by various hemagglutinins derived from different viral strains. We further establish that this recognition is direct and mainly mediated via alpha2,6-linked sialic acid carried by NKp46. In addition, we demonstrate that the ability of NKp46 to recognize target cells is confined to the membrane proximal domain, and largely relies on the highly conserved sugar-carrying residue, Thr 225. This residue plays a critical dual role in NKp46 interactions with both viral hemagglutinins and the unknown tumor ligands via different mechanisms. These results may explain the ability of NK cells to kill such a broad spectrum of viral-infected and tumor cells.

Complexes of HLA-G protein on the cell surface are important for leukocyte Ig-like receptor-1 function

The nonclassical class I MHC molecule HLA-G is selectively expressed on extravillous cytotrophoblast cells at the maternal-fetal interface during pregnancy. HLA-G can inhibit the killing mediated by NK cells via interaction with the inhibitory NK cell receptor, leukocyte Ig-like receptor-1 (LIR-1). Comparison of the sequence of the HLA-G molecule to other class I MHC proteins revealed two unique cysteine residues located in positions 42 and 147. Mutating these cysteine residues resulted in a dramatic decrease in LIR-1 Ig binding. Accordingly, the mutated HLA-G transfectants were less effective in the inhibition of NK killing and RBL/LIR-1 induced serotonin release. Immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated the involvement of the cysteine residues in the formation of HLA-G protein oligomers on the cell surface. The cysteine residue located at position 42 is shown to be critical for the expression of such complexes. These oligomers, unique among the class I MHC proteins, probably bind to LIR-1 with increased avidity, resulting in an enhanced inhibitory function of LIR-1 and an impaired killing function of NK cells.

Enhanced recognition of human NK receptors after influenza virus infection

The NK cell cytotoxic activity is regulated by both inhibitory and activating NK receptors. Thus, changes in the expression levels and in the affinity or avidity of those receptors will have a major effect on the killing of target cells. In this study, we demonstrate that the binding of NK-inhibitory receptors is enhanced after influenza virus infection. Surprisingly, however, no change in the level of class I MHC protein expression was observed on the surface of the infected cells. The increased binding was general, because it was observed in both the killer cell Ig-like receptor 2 domain long tail 1 and leukocyte Ig-like receptor-1. The increased binding was functional, was not dependent on the interaction with viral hemagglutinin-neuraminidase, was not dependent on the glycosylation site, and was not abolished after mutating the transmembrane or cytosolic portions of the class I MHC proteins. Confocal microscopy experiments showed increased binding of NK receptor-coated beads to infected cells expressing the appropriate class I MHC proteins. In addition, specific cell-free bead aggregates covered with class I MHC proteins were observed only in infected cells. We therefore suggest that the influenza virus use a novel mechanism for the inhibition of NK cell activity. This mechanism probably involves the generation of class I MHC complexes in infected cells that cause increased recognition of NK receptors.