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Implications of CD94 deficiency and monoallelic NKG2A expression for natural killer cell development and repertoire formation

2002; National Academy of Sciences; Volume: 99; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1073/pnas.022500599

1091-6490

Russell E. Vance, A. M. Jamieson, Dragana Cado, David H. Raulet,

T-cell and B-cell Immunology

Natural killer (NK) cells are believed to achieve self-tolerance through the expression of self-MHC-specific inhibitory receptors, such as members of the Ly49 and CD94/NKG2 families. Individual Ly49 genes are stochastically expressed by NK subsets and are expressed in a monoallelic fashion, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying CD94/NKG2A expression. We show here that, like Ly49 genes, mouse Nkg2a is stochastically and monoallelically expressed. Thus, a single general mechanism controls expression of all known MHC-specific receptors by mouse NK cells. In addition, we find that DBA/2J mice are naturally CD94-deficient and do not express cell-surface CD94/NKG2A receptors, even on neonatal NK cells. Thus, self-tolerance of neonatal NK cells cannot be attributed to CD94/NKG2A expression. Taken together, the results lead to a reconsideration of current models of NK cell development and self-tolerance.