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Martínez-Rodríguez JE, Sáez-Borderías A, Munteis E, Romo N, Roquer J, López-Botet M

Natural killer receptors distribution in multiple sclerosis: Relation to clinical course and interferon-beta therapy.

Clin. Immunol.. 2010 Oct;137(1):41-50, PMID: 20580616

NK cell receptors (NKR) are expressed in subsets of NK and CD8+ T cells, lymphocytes involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. Clinical implications of NKR expression in MS are unknown. Here, we show that the proportions of CD8+ T cells displaying LILRB1, an inhibitory NKR expressed at late stages of T cell differentiation, were directly related with age and MS duration, and inversely with the immunomodulatory therapy-dependent increase of CD56(bright) NK cells. Similar associations were found for KIR+ and CD56+ CD8+ T cells, whereas no age-related NKR distribution was perceived in controls. Moreover, active MS had lower LILRB1+ NK cells, and IFN-β-treated patients exhibited a phenotypic profile related to shorter disease evolution. Progressive accumulation of terminally differentiated T lymphocytes and experienced NK cells in MS, presumably stimulated in response to a persistent challenge and modulated by IFN-β therapy, may support the analysis of NKR distribution as new biomarkers.

IMMUNOLOGY

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