Posttranscriptional regulation of II10 gene expression allows natural killer cells to express immunoregulatory function.

ABSTRACT: Natural killer (NK) cells play a well-recognized role in early pathogen containment and in shaping acquired cell-mediated immunity. However, indirect evidence in humans and experimental models has suggested that NK cells also play negative regulatory roles during chronic disease. To formally test this hypothesis, we employed a well-defined experimental model of visceral leishmaniasis. Our data demonstrated that NKp46(+)CD49b(+)CD3(-) NK cells were recruited to the spleen and into hepatic granulomas, where they inhibited host protective immunity in an interleukin-10 (IL-10)-dependent manner. Although IL-10 mRNA could be detected in activated NK cells 24 hr after infection, the inhibitory function of NK cells was only acquired later during infection, coincident with increased IL-10 mRNA stab

SUBMITTER: Maroof A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2656759 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature