STAT4-associated natural killer cell tolerance following liver transplantation

Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/..

OBJECTIVE: Natural killer (NK) cells are important mediators of liver inflammation in chronic liver disease. The aim of this study was to investigate why liver transplants (LTs) are not rejected by NK cells in the absence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching, and to identify a tolerogenic NK cell phenotype.

DESIGN: Phenotypic and functional analyses on NK cells from 54 LT recipients were performed, and comparisons made with healthy controls. Further investigation was performed using gene expression analysis and donor:recipient HLA typing.

RESULTS: NK cells from non-HCV LT recipients were hypofunctional, with reduced expression of NKp46 (p<0.05) and NKp30 (p<0.001), reduced cytotoxicity (p<0.001) and interferon (IFN)-γ secretion (p<0.025). There was no segregation of this effect with HLA-C, and these functional changes were not observed in individuals with HCV. Microarray and RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated downregulation of STAT4 in NK cells from LT recipients (p<0.0001). Changes in the expression levels of the transcription factors Helios (p=0.06) and Hobit (p=0.07), which control NKp46 and IFNγ expression, respectively, were also detected. Hypofunctionality of NK cells was associated with impaired STAT4 phosphorylation and downregulation of the STAT4 target microRNA-155. Conversely in HCV-LT NK cell tolerance was reversed, consistent with the more aggressive outcome of LT for HCV.

CONCLUSIONS: LT is associated with transcriptional and functional changes in NK cells, resulting in reduced activation. NK cell tolerance occurs upstream of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I mediated education, and is associated with deficient STAT4 phosphorylation. STAT4 therefore represents a potential therapeutic target to induce NK cell tolerance in liver disease.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2017

Erschienen:

2017

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:66

Enthalten in:

Gut - 66(2017), 2 vom: 18. Feb., Seite 352-361

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Jamil, K M [VerfasserIn]
Hydes, T J [VerfasserIn]
Cheent, K S [VerfasserIn]
Cassidy, S A [VerfasserIn]
Traherne, J A [VerfasserIn]
Jayaraman, J [VerfasserIn]
Trowsdale, J [VerfasserIn]
Alexander, G J [VerfasserIn]
Little, A-M [VerfasserIn]
McFarlane, H [VerfasserIn]
Heneghan, M A [VerfasserIn]
Purbhoo, M A [VerfasserIn]
Khakoo, S I [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

148971-36-2
HEPATITIS C
HLA-C Antigens
IKZF2 protein, human
IMMUNOLOGY IN HEPATOLOGY
Ikaros Transcription Factor
Journal Article
LIVER TRANSPLANTATION
MIRN155 microRNA, human
MicroRNAs
NCR1 protein, human
NCR3 protein, human
Natural Cytotoxicity Triggering Receptor 1
Natural Cytotoxicity Triggering Receptor 3
RNA EXPRESSION
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
STAT4 Transcription Factor
STAT4 protein, human
TOLERANCE

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 10.07.2017

Date Revised 29.01.2022

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1136/gutjnl-2015-309395

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM257579591