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Proliferating NK cells in response to IL-15 do not upregulate surface B220 in vivo

Gene Therapy volume 17, pages 687–689 (2010)Cite this article

Natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells (DC) are functionally diverse leukocytes. However, a population functionally astride both cell types has been described and termed interferon (IFN)-producing killer DC (IKDC). According to the original descriptions, these cells efficiently mediate both natural cytotoxicity and antigen presentation to CD4 T cells. Other authors have challenged the original observations with ontogeny and functional results, which concluded that these cells merely represent an activated status of NK cells. The CD45 isoform B220 is a surface marker used to distinguish both populations. The putative IKDC has been shown to be induced to proliferate and is activated by interleukin 15 (IL-15) as a recombinant protein or when the liver is gene transduced with an efficiently expressed IL-15 expression cassette. In this letter, we show that there are in vivo conditions of activation of spleen NK cells that do not result in surface expression of B220 on either IL-15 gene transfer to the liver, or when NK cells proliferate in a major histocompatibility complex-mismatched and lymphopenic recipient mouse. These in vivo data indicate a lack of interconversion on activation of B220− conventional NK cells and B220+ IKDC.

A hot controversy has been raised on the identity and function of NK1.1+DX5+CD11c+B220+ cells. Such a sub-population has been claimed to perform both NK-like cytotoxicity and DC-like antigen presentation to CD4 T cells.1, 2 Because of their high production of IFNγ, these cells were termed IKDC. The main surface marker distinguishing such a population is B220, a high molecular weight (220 kDa) isoform of CD45 that was originally considered as a selective B-cell marker in mice.1, 2 Other authors contend that these cells represent activated NK cells, as classical NK cells (cNK) (DX5+CD3−NK1.1+B220−) acquire B220 on activation.3, 4, 5

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  1. O Murillo and M C Ochoa: These authors contributed equally to this work.

  2. S Hervas-Stubbs and I Melero: These authors share senior authorship.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de investigación médica aplicada, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

    O Murillo, M C Ochoa, A Arina, I Gabari, J Dubrot, S Hervas-Stubbs & I Melero

  2. Clinica Universitaria, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

    O Murillo, M C Ochoa, A Arina, I Gabari, J Dubrot, S Hervas-Stubbs & I Melero

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Correspondence to S Hervas-Stubbs or I Melero.

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Murillo, O., Ochoa, M., Arina, A. et al. Proliferating NK cells in response to IL-15 do not upregulate surface B220 in vivo. Gene Ther 17, 687–689 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/gt.2009.139

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