Cytokine activation induces human memory-like NK cells

Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes that play an important role in the immune response to infection and malignancy. Recent studies in mice have shown that stimulation of NK cells with cytokines or in the context of a viral infection results in memory-like properties. We hypothesized that human NK cells exhibit such memory-like properties with an enhanced recall response after cytokine preactivation. In the present study, we show that human NK cells preactivated briefly with cytokine combinations including IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18 followed by a 7- to 21-day rest have enhanced IFN-γ production after restimulation with IL-12 + IL-15, IL-12 + IL-18, or K562 leukemia cells. This memory-like phenotype was…

• HH
  Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• AS
  American Society of Hematology
• CD
  Children's Discovery Institute
• EM
  Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation
• AJ
  Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center

  Award: P30 CA091842
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: NIH T32, P30 CA091842, CA091842