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Systematic characterization of human CD8 + T cells with natural killer cell markers in comparison with natural killer cells and normal CD8 + T cells
Author(s) -
Ohkawa Takashi,
Seki Shuhji,
Dobashi Hiroshi,
Koike Yuji,
Habu Yoshiko,
Ami Katsunori,
Hiraide Hoshio,
Sekine Isao
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2567.2001.01248.x
Subject(s) - interleukin 21 , cytotoxic t cell , interleukin 12 , natural killer t cell , perforin , interleukin 3 , biology , janus kinase 3 , antigen presenting cell , cd40 , il 2 receptor , lymphokine activated killer cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cd8 , cd49b , granzyme , granzyme b , k562 cells , antigen , immunology , in vitro , biochemistry , leukemia
Summary We investigated the function of CD56 + CD8 + T cells (CD56 + T cells) and CD56 − CD57 + CD8 + T cells (CD57 + T cells; natural killer (NK)‐type T cells) and compared them with those of normal CD56 − CD57 − CD8 + T cells (CD8 + T cells) and CD56 + NK cells from healthy volunteers. After the stimulation with immobilized anti‐CD3 antibodies, both NK‐type T cells produced much larger amounts of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) than CD8 + T cells. Both NK‐type T cells also acquired a more potent cytotoxicity against NK‐sensitive K562 cells than CD8 + T cells while only CD56 + T cells showed a potent cytotoxicity against NK‐resistant Raji cells. After the stimulation with a combination of interleukin (IL)‐2, IL‐12 and IL‐15, the IFN‐γ amounts produced were NK cells ≥ CD56 + T cells ≥ CD57 + T cells > CD8 + T cells. The cytotoxicities against K562 cells were NK cells > CD56 + T cells ≥ CD57 + T cells > CD8 + T cells while cytotoxicities against Raji cells were CD56 + T cells > CD57 + T cells ≥ CD8 + T cells ≥ NK cells. However, the CD3‐stimulated proliferation of both NK‐type T cells was smaller than that of CD8 + T cells partly because NK‐type T cells were susceptible to apoptosis. In addition to NK cells, NK‐type T cells but not CD8 + T cells stimulated with cytokines, expressed cytoplasmic perforin and granzyme B. Furthermore, CD3‐stimulated IFN‐γ production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) correlated with the proportions of CD57 + T cells in PBMC from donors. Our findings suggest that NK‐type T cells play an important role in the T helper 1 responses and the immunological changes associated with ageing.