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Van Acker HH, Van Acker ZP, Versteven M, Ponsaerts P, Pende D, Berneman ZN, Anguille S, Van Tendeloo VF, Smits EL. CD56 Homodimerization and Participation in Anti-Tumor Immune Effector Cell Functioning: A Role for Interleukin-15. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1029. [PMID: 31336622 PMCID: PMC6678613 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11071029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A particularly interesting marker to identify anti-tumor immune cells is the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), also known as cluster of differentiation (CD)56. Namely, hematopoietic expression of CD56 seems to be confined to powerful effector immune cells. Here, we sought to elucidate its role on various killer immune cells. First, we identified the high motility NCAM-120 molecule to be the main isoform expressed by immune cells. Next, through neutralization of surface CD56, we were able to (1) demonstrate the direct involvement of CD56 in tumor cell lysis exerted by CD56-expressing killer cells, such as natural killer cells, gamma delta (γδ) T cells, and interleukin (IL)-15-cultured dendritic cells (DCs), and (2) reveal a putative crosstalk mechanism between IL-15 DCs and CD8 T cells, suggesting CD56 as a co-stimulatory molecule in their cell-to-cell contact. Moreover, by means of a proximity ligation assay, we visualized the CD56 homophilic interaction among cancer cells and between immune cells and cancer cells. Finally, by blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway, we showed that IL-15 stimulation directly led to CD56 upregulation. In conclusion, these results underscore the previously neglected importance of CD56 expression on immune cells, benefiting current and future immune therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heleen H Van Acker
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Zoë P Van Acker
- Laboratory of Protein Science, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signaling, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratory of Membrane Trafficking, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maarten Versteven
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Peter Ponsaerts
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Experimental Cell Transplantation Group (ECTG), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Daniela Pende
- Immunology Laboratory, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Zwi N Berneman
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratory of Protein Science, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signaling, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Hematology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Sébastien Anguille
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Hematology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Viggo F Van Tendeloo
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Evelien L Smits
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tumor Immunology Group (TIGR), Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
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