Direct Assessment of MHC Class I Binding by Seven Ly49 Inhibitory NK Cell Receptors

• Published in: Immunity (Cambridge, Mass.) Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 67 - 77
• Main Authors: Hanke, Thomas, Takizawa, Hisao, McMahon, Christopher W, Busch, Dirk H, Pamer, Eric G, Miller, Joseph D, Altman, John D, Liu, Yang, Cado, Dragana, Lemonnier, Francois A, Bjorkman, Pamela J, Raulet, David H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.1999
• Subjects: Alleles; Animals; Antigens, Ly; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Cell Adhesion - genetics; Cell Adhesion - immunology; H-2 Antigens - metabolism; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - genetics; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - metabolism; Immunosuppressive Agents - metabolism; Immunosuppressive Agents - pharmacology; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Killer Cells, Natural - metabolism; Lectins, C-Type; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Membrane Glycoproteins - genetics; Membrane Glycoproteins - metabolism; Membrane Glycoproteins - pharmacology; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Congenic; Mice, Inbred A; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mice, Transgenic; Peptides - metabolism; Protein Binding - genetics; Protein Binding - immunology; Receptors, Immunologic - genetics; Receptors, Immunologic - metabolism; Receptors, Immunologic - physiology; Receptors, NK Cell Lectin-Like; Solubility
• ISSN: 1074-7613; 1097-4180
• DOI: 10.1016/S1074-7613(00)80082-5

Mouse NK cells express at least seven inhibitory Ly49 receptors. Here we employ a semiquantitative cell–cell adhesion assay as well as class I/peptide tetramers to provide a comprehensive analysis of specificities of Ly49 receptors for class I MHC molecules in eight MHC haplotypes. Different Ly49 receptors exhibited diverse binding properties. The degree of class I binding was related to the extent of functional inhibition. The tetramer studies demonstrated that neither glycosylation nor coreceptors were necessary for class I binding to Ly49 receptors and uncovered peptide-specific recognition by a Ly49 receptor. The results provide a foundation for interpreting and integrating many existing functional studies as well as for designing tests of NK cell development and self-tolerance.