Visualization of inhibitory Ly49 receptor specificity with soluble major histocompatibility complex class I tetramers

• Published in: European journal of immunology 2000-01, Vol.30 (1), p.300-307
• Main Authors: Michaëlsson, Jakob, Achour, Adnane, Salcedo, Margarita, Kåse‐Sjöström, Anna, Sundbäck, Jonas, Harris, Robert A., Kärre, Klas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Ly; Cell Line; Glycosylation; H-2 Antigens - metabolism; histocompatibility antigen H-2; Histocompatibility Antigen H-2D; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - chemistry; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - metabolism; Lectins, C-Type; Ly-49 antigen; MHC class I; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; NK cell; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A; Peptide; Rats; Receptors, Immunologic - metabolism; Receptors, NK Cell Lectin-Like
• ISSN: 0014-2980; 1521-4141
• DOI: 10.1002/1521-4141(200001)30:1<300::AID-IMMU300>3.0.CO;2-S

Murine natural killer (NK) cells are inhibited from killing their targets by the interaction between inhibitory, C‐type lectin like Ly49 receptors and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. The receptors have overlapping specificity, and it has been difficult to analyze specific aspects of the interaction between different Ly49 receptors and their respective ligands. We have addressed this problem using tetramers of bacterially expressed, non‐glycosylated, MHC class I molecules refolded with different peptides. Our results indicate that this technology is useful for analysis of Ly49 receptor specificity as well as for monitoring of NK cell subsets, with the following major conclusions emerging from this study: (1) tetramers of H‐2Dd bound the Ly49A receptor; the MHC associated glycan, previously suggested to be involved in recognition by this receptor, is thus not required for Ly49A receptor binding; (2) in support and extension of a recent report indicating peptide selectivity in the recognition of H‐2Kb by Ly49C+ cells, H‐2Kb tetramer binding to Ly49C receptors was strongly influenced by the peptide presented by the MHC class I molecule; (3) tetramer binding allowed visualization of interactions that have not previously been detected in functional studies, such as the recognition of H‐2Db by Ly49A and Ly49C.