Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Faculty Sponsor
Munir Rahim
Proposal
Background: The liver harbours a large population of immune cells, which is selectively enriched in natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells represent a lymphoid population with a potent cytolytic activity, which play critical roles in immune defense against invading pathogens. Two distinct NK cell subsets, liver-resident NK (lrNK) cells and conventional NK (cNK) cells, are present in the liver. NK cell functions are regulated by an array of activating and inhibitory receptors. NKR-P1B is one of the earliest expressed NK cell receptors that inhibits NK cell functions upon binding to its cognate C-type related ligand, Clr-b.
Purpose: Determine expression of NKR-P1B receptor in liver NK cells, and its role in the development and function of liver-resident NK cells.
Experimental Design: We used a multiparametric flow cytometry technique to analyze the phenotype, distribution, and homeostatic differences between lrNK cells and cNK cells in the livers from wild-type (WT) and knockout NKR-P1B (KO) mice.
Results: Preliminary results suggest that, WT lrNK cells exhibit a more mature phenotype compared to NKR-P1B KO lrNK cells. There were no significant differences in the distribution of NK cells in the livers from WT and NKR-P1B KO mice. As compared to cNK cells, lrNK cells displayed higher expression of granzyme B, an enzyme required for cytotoxic activity of NK cells.
Conclusion: The findings from this work will provide new insights about the expression and function of NKR-P1B receptor in lrNK cells and a better understanding of the distinguishing behavior of lrNK cells compared to cNK cells.
Availability
March 29 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm OR March 31 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Determination of NKR-P1B Receptor Expression and Its Function in Liver-Resident NK Cells
Background: The liver harbours a large population of immune cells, which is selectively enriched in natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells represent a lymphoid population with a potent cytolytic activity, which play critical roles in immune defense against invading pathogens. Two distinct NK cell subsets, liver-resident NK (lrNK) cells and conventional NK (cNK) cells, are present in the liver. NK cell functions are regulated by an array of activating and inhibitory receptors. NKR-P1B is one of the earliest expressed NK cell receptors that inhibits NK cell functions upon binding to its cognate C-type related ligand, Clr-b.
Purpose: Determine expression of NKR-P1B receptor in liver NK cells, and its role in the development and function of liver-resident NK cells.
Experimental Design: We used a multiparametric flow cytometry technique to analyze the phenotype, distribution, and homeostatic differences between lrNK cells and cNK cells in the livers from wild-type (WT) and knockout NKR-P1B (KO) mice.
Results: Preliminary results suggest that, WT lrNK cells exhibit a more mature phenotype compared to NKR-P1B KO lrNK cells. There were no significant differences in the distribution of NK cells in the livers from WT and NKR-P1B KO mice. As compared to cNK cells, lrNK cells displayed higher expression of granzyme B, an enzyme required for cytotoxic activity of NK cells.
Conclusion: The findings from this work will provide new insights about the expression and function of NKR-P1B receptor in lrNK cells and a better understanding of the distinguishing behavior of lrNK cells compared to cNK cells.