Human liver-resident CD56(bright)/CD16(neg) NK cells are retained within hepatic sinusoids via the engagement of CCR5 and CXCR6 pathways.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

The liver-specific natural killer (NK) cell population is critical for local innate immune responses, but the mechanisms that lead to their selective homing and the definition of their functionally relevance remain enigmatic.

Objectives

We took advantage of the availability of healthy human liver to rigorously define the mechanisms regulating the homing of NK cells to liver and the repertoire of receptors that distinguish liver-resident NK (lr-NK) cells from circulating counterparts.

Findings

Nearly 50% of the entire liver NK cell population is composed of functionally relevant CD56(bright) lr-NK cells that localize within hepatic sinusoids. CD56(bright) lr-NK cells express CD69, CCR5 and CXCR6 and this unique repertoire of chemokine receptors is functionall

SUBMITTER: Hudspeth K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4718768 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature