TY - JOUR
T1 - The involvement of NK cells in ankylosing spondylitis
AU - Azuz-Lieberman, Niva
AU - Markel, Gal
AU - Mizrahi, Sa'ar
AU - Gazit, Roi
AU - Hanna, Jacob
AU - Achdout, Hagit
AU - Gruda, Raizy
AU - Katz, Gil
AU - Arnon, Tal I.
AU - Battat, Shosh
AU - Zamir, Ehud
AU - Adawi, Muhammed
AU - Mader, Reuven
AU - Mandelboim, Ofer
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank all patients and healthy individuals who contributed blood. The authors would also like to thank Avi Azuz for his excellent statistical analysis and for careful reading of the manuscript. This study was funded by The Israel Science Foundation, the Israel Cancer Association (20042031-B) and the Bi-national Science Foundation.
PY - 2005/7/1
Y1 - 2005/7/1
N2 - A role for NK cells in the regulation of autoimmunity has been demonstrated. Since there is a strong association between Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and HLA-B27, which is specifically recognized by the NK-inhibitory receptor KIR3DL1, this study evaluated the potential involvement of NK cells in AS. We studied 19 AS patients and 22 healthy volunteer donors and assessed the percentage, activity and receptor expression of peripheral blood NK cells. We also evaluated candidate-inflammatory mediators in sera. We found that AS patients have significantly higher percentages of NK cells. However, we found no differences between the ability of NK cells derived from AS and healthy controls to recognize target cells expressing HLA-B27. Remarkably, we observed that the NK-inhibitory receptor CEACAM1 (carcino-embryonic antigen-cell adhesion molecule) is highly expressed among AS-derived NK cells. Furthermore, engagement of CEACAM1 inhibited NK activity in these patients. Finally, we demonstrated that CEACAM1 expression is induced by IL-8 and SDF-1 (stromal cell derived factor), both of which are present in high levels in the sera of AS patients. These results may indicate that NK cells and CEACAM1 play a role in AS pathogenesis and implicate chemokines in the mechanism of CEACAM1 expression.
AB - A role for NK cells in the regulation of autoimmunity has been demonstrated. Since there is a strong association between Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and HLA-B27, which is specifically recognized by the NK-inhibitory receptor KIR3DL1, this study evaluated the potential involvement of NK cells in AS. We studied 19 AS patients and 22 healthy volunteer donors and assessed the percentage, activity and receptor expression of peripheral blood NK cells. We also evaluated candidate-inflammatory mediators in sera. We found that AS patients have significantly higher percentages of NK cells. However, we found no differences between the ability of NK cells derived from AS and healthy controls to recognize target cells expressing HLA-B27. Remarkably, we observed that the NK-inhibitory receptor CEACAM1 (carcino-embryonic antigen-cell adhesion molecule) is highly expressed among AS-derived NK cells. Furthermore, engagement of CEACAM1 inhibited NK activity in these patients. Finally, we demonstrated that CEACAM1 expression is induced by IL-8 and SDF-1 (stromal cell derived factor), both of which are present in high levels in the sera of AS patients. These results may indicate that NK cells and CEACAM1 play a role in AS pathogenesis and implicate chemokines in the mechanism of CEACAM1 expression.
KW - CEACAM ankylosing spondylitis
KW - NK
KW - Natural killer
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=26444529548&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/intimm/dxh270
DO - 10.1093/intimm/dxh270
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:26444529548
SN - 0953-8178
VL - 17
SP - 837
EP - 845
JO - International Immunology
JF - International Immunology
IS - 7
ER -