Project description:Rapid advances in biochemical technologies have enabled several strategies for typing candidate HLA alleles, but linking them into a single MHC haplotype structure remains challenging. Here we have developed a multi-loci haplotype phasing technique and demonstrate its utility towards phasing of MHC and KIR loci in human samples. We accurately (~99%) reconstruct the complete haplotypes for over 90% of sequence variants spanning the 4-megabase region of these two loci. By haplotyping a majority of coding and non-coding alleles at the MHC and KIR loci in a single assay, this method has the potential to assist transplantation matching and facilitate investigation of the genetic basis of human immunity and disease. Complete haplotype phasing of 2 loci (MHC and KIR) in 1 human cell line.
Project description:Uterine NK cells (uNK cells) form a distinct immune cell population in the endometrium and decidua. Here, we FACS-sorted KIR-CD39-,KIR+CD39- and KIR+CD39+ uNK cells from decidual samples.
Project description:Rapid advances in biochemical technologies have enabled several strategies for typing candidate HLA alleles, but linking them into a single MHC haplotype structure remains challenging. Here we have developed a multi-loci haplotype phasing technique and demonstrate its utility towards phasing of MHC and KIR loci in human samples. We accurately (~99%) reconstruct the complete haplotypes for over 90% of sequence variants spanning the 4-megabase region of these two loci. By haplotyping a majority of coding and non-coding alleles at the MHC and KIR loci in a single assay, this method has the potential to assist transplantation matching and facilitate investigation of the genetic basis of human immunity and disease.
Project description:Previous reports show that Ly49+CD8+ T cells can suppress autoimmunity in mouse models of autoimmune diseases. Here we find a markedly increased frequency of CD8+ T cells expressing inhibitory Killer cell Immunoglobulin like Receptors (KIR), the human equivalents of the Ly49 family, in the blood and inflamed tissues of various human autoimmune diseases. Moreover, KIR+CD8+ T cells can efficiently eliminate pathogenic gliadin-specific CD4+ T cells from Celiac disease (CeD) patients’ leukocytes in vitro. Furthermore, we observe elevated levels of KIR+CD8+ T cells, but not CD4+ regulatory T cells, in COVID-19 and influenza-infected patients, and correlate with disease severity and vasculitis in COVID-19. Expanded KIR+CD8+ T cells from these different diseases display shared phenotypes and similar T cell receptor sequences. These results characterize a regulatory CD8+ T cell subset in humans, broadly active in both autoimmune and infectious diseases, which we hypothesize functions to control self-reactive or otherwise pathogenic T cells.
Project description:During pregnancy, immune responses must balance fetal protection from infections with tolerance of the semi-allogeneic fetus. However, the mechanisms regulating maternal-fetal tolerance remain poorly understood. Recently, we identified KIR+CD8+ T cells as a previously underappreciated regulatory subset important for suppressing self-reactivity in human autoimmune and infectious diseases. To better understand what other roles these cells might play, we asked whether they are active during pregnancy. We first observed an increased frequency of KIR+CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood of pregnant women at the second trimester, especially in those carrying a male fetus. In vitro, KIR+CD8+ T cells inhibited the alloreactive responses of maternal T cells against irradiated cord blood cells and suppressed HY-specific CD8+ T cells from mothers with a male fetus. Therefore, the higher induction of KIR+CD8+ T cells in mothers carrying a male fetus may help suppress additional allogenic responses triggered by Y chromosome antigens. Longitudinal analysis showed that KIR+CD8+ T cells undergo expansion and differentiate into functional cytotoxic cells during pregnancy. Single cell RNA-seq analysis of decidual CD8+ T cells from early pregnancy revealed elevated number and activity of KIR+ CD8+ T cells at the maternal-fetal interface. In addition, increased levels of KIR+CD8+ T cells correlated with pregnancy disorders (e.g., spontaneous abortion and preeclampsia). Taken together, our findings suggest an important role of KIR+CD8+ T cells in the maintenance of maternal tolerance by suppressing fetal-specific alloreactive T cells. They may also be useful as predictive biomarkers or drug targets for human pregnancy disorders.
Project description:The variegated expression of the KIR family of class I MHC receptors is crucial for the generation of specialized NK cells capable of detecting changes in the expression of specific HLA genes or alleles. Understanding the timing and mechanism of KIR gene activation will lead to improved methods for the generation of fully functional NK cells in vitro. Previous studies revealed that a central RUNX-binding site is a key element required for the demethylation and activation of the KIR proximal promoter. RUNX proteins associate with the TET family of proteins that generate 5‑hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) and drive DNA demethylation. We employed a novel system capable of distinguishing 5‑methylcytosine (5mC) and 5hmC residues in DNA to provide insight into the process of KIR gene activation during NK cell development. Significant levels of 5hmC, indicative of TET activity, were observed in variegated KIR genes in CD56Bright NK cells but not the preceding ILCP or subsequent CD56-Dim stages of development. The primary site of 5hmC generation was within the central CREB-binding site, located 11 bp 5' of the consensus RUNX-binding site. Taken together, these findings support a key role of RUNX/TET for KIR gene activation in developing NK cells.