Oligosaccharide ligands for NKR-P1 protein activate NK cells and cytotoxicity.

Bezouska, K; Yuen, C T; O'Brien, J; Childs, R A; Chai, W; Lawson, A M; Drbal, K; Fiserová, A et al. · Nature · 1994

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

A diversity of high-affinity oligosaccharide ligands are identified for NKR-P1, a membrane protein on natural killer (NK) cells which contains an extracellular Ca(2+)-dependent lectin domain. Interactions of such oligosaccharides on the target cell surface with NKR-P1 on the killer cell surface are crucial both for target cell recognition and for delivery of stimulatory or inhibitory signals linked to the NK cytolytic machinery. NK-resistant tumour cells are rendered susceptible by preincubation with liposomes expressing NKR-P1 ligands, suggesting that purging of tumour or virally infected cells in vivo may be a therapeutic possibility.

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