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E O Long

Publications and source records attributed to E O Long.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Conserved residues amino-terminal of cytoplasmic tyrosines contribute to the SHP-1-mediated inhibitory function of killer cell Ig-like receptors.

The sequence I/VxYxxL, often referred to as an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM), binds to the C-terminal Src homology 2 domain of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1. Conserved residues N-terminal of the tyrosine are not ordinarily found in other Src homology 2 domain binding motifs. The inhibitory forms of killer cell Ig-like receptors (KIR) contain two ITIMs. The role of each ITIM, and of the conserved residues upstream of the tyrosine, in the inhibition of NK cells was tested by vaccinia virus-mediated expression of mutant KIRs. Substitution of the tyrosine in the membrane-proximal ITIM abrogated the ability of KIR to block Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, whereas mutation of the membrane-distal ITIM tyrosine had little effect. Substitution of the conserved hydrophobic amino acid that was located two residues N-terminal to the tyrosine weakened, but did not eliminate, the function of the receptor. In contrast, these substitutions drastically reduced the amount of SHP-1 immunoprecipitated with KIR, suggesting that weak interactions with SHP-1 may be sufficient for inhibition.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Essential role of LAT in T cell development.

The linker molecule LAT is a substrate of the tyrosine kinases activated following TCR engagement. Phosphorylated LAT binds many critical signaling molecules. The central role of this molecule in TCR-mediated signaling has been demonstrated by experiments in a LAT-deficient cell line. To probe the role of LAT in T cell development, the LAT gene was disrupted by targeting. LAT-deficient mice appeared healthy. Flow cytometric analysis revealed normal B cell populations but the absence of any mature peripheral T cells. Intrathymic development was blocked within the CD4- CD8- stage. No gross abnormality of NK or platelet function was observed. LAT is thus critical to both T cell activation and development.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1999

Regulation of immune responses through inhibitory receptors.

Major histocompatibility complex class I-specific inhibitory receptors on natural killer cells prevent the lysis of healthy autologous cells. The outcome of this negative signal is not anergy or apoptosis of natural killer cells but a transient abortion of activation signals. The natural killer inhibitory receptors fulfill this function by recruiting the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 through a cytoplasmic immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif. This immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif has become the hallmark of a growing family of receptors with inhibitory potential, which are expressed in various cell types such as monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, leukocytes, and mast cells. Most of the natural killer inhibitory receptors and two members of a monocyte inhibitory-receptor family bind major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. Ligands for many of the other receptors have yet to be identified. The inhibitory-receptor superfamily appears to regulate many types of immune responses by blocking cellular activation signals.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Zinc bound to the killer cell-inhibitory receptor modulates the negative signal in human NK cells.

The lysis of target cells by human NK cells is inhibited by several kinds of receptors with varying specificities for the MHC class I molecules of target cells. The requirements for complete inhibition of NK cytotoxicity appear to be complex and not well defined. The HLA-C-specific members of the killer cell-inhibitory receptor (KIR) family, carrying two Ig domains (KIR2D), are unusual among Ig superfamily members in their ability to bind zinc. A role for the zinc-binding site in KIR-mediated inhibition was demonstrated in this study using a functional reconstitution system in NK cells. Replacement of six histidines by alanine residues in putative zinc binding sites of a KIR2D ablated zinc binding and markedly impaired its inhibitory function, but left intact its ability to bind HLA-C and to transduce a positive signal through an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif grafted onto its cytoplasmic tail. Thus, zinc modulates specifically the negative signal transmitted by this KIR molecule. Mutation of an exposed amino-terminal zinc-binding motif alone was sufficient to impair the inhibitory function of KIR. The data suggest that complete inhibition of HLA-C-specific NK cells requires a zinc-dependent protein-protein interaction via the amino-terminal end of KIR2D.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1998

Direct binding and functional transfer of NK cell inhibitory receptors reveal novel patterns of HLA-C allotype recognition.

Cytotoxicity of human NK cells is under negative control of killer cell Ig-like receptors (KIR) specific for HLA class I. To determine the specificity of five KIR containing two Ig domains (KIR2D), direct binding of soluble recombinant KIR2D to a panel of HLA class I transfectants was assayed. One soluble KIR2D, derived from an inhibitory receptor with a long cytoplasmic tail (KIR2DL1), bound to HLA-C allotypes containing asparagine 77 and lysine 80 in the heavy chain, as expected, since these allotypes inhibit lysis by NK cells expressing KIR2DL1. Surprisingly, another KIR2D (KIR2DL2), which inhibits NK lysis of cells expressing HLA-C molecules with serine 77 and asparagine 80, bound to HLA-C allotypes carrying either amino acid motif. Expression of the KIR2DL receptors in NK cells using recombinant vaccinia viruses confirmed these patterns of recognition, and identified KIR2DL3 as another KIR reacting with both groups of HLA-C allotypes. Mutagenesis of amino acid 44 in KIR2DL1 and KIR2DL2 suggested this residue controls the affinity of KIR for the 77/80 motif of HLA-C molecules. Two other soluble KIR2D, derived from noninhibitory receptors with short cytoplasmic tails (KIR2DS), did not bind to any of the HLA class I allotypes tested. One of these receptors (KIR2DS2) is closely related in sequence to KIR2DL2. Substitution of tyrosine 45 with the phenylalanine conserved in other KIR was sufficient to permit specific binding of KIR2DS2 to HLA-C. These results show that KIR2DL receptors are specific for HLA-C, but that recognition of HLA-C allotypes appears more permissive than indicated by previous functional experiments.

Alleles↗
PubMed1998

Peptide loading onto recycling HLA-DR molecules occurs in early endosomes.

Presentation of exogenous antigens to MHC class II-restricted T cells can follow two different processing pathways. The classical pathway requires newly synthesized MHC class II molecules, invariant chain and HLA-DM expression, whereas the alternative pathway is independent of protein synthesis, invariant chain and HLA-DM. In both cases, MHC class II molecules associate with peptides derived from exogenous antigens that have been processed in endocytic compartments. Different endosomal/prelysosomal compartments where peptide/MHC class II complexes and HLA-DM molecules accumulate have been described. We show here that the alternative pathway uses an earlier compartment than the classical pathway. Experiments with chemically cross-linked antigen suggest that recycling MHC class II molecules present rapidly degraded antigens, leading to a rapid immune response to exogenously added influenza virus proteins.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1997

Structure of the inhibitory receptor for human natural killer cells resembles haematopoietic receptors.

Abnormal cells deficient in class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression are lysed by a class of lymphocytes called natural killer (NK) cells. This lysis provides a defence against pathogens and tumour cells that downregulate MHC expression to avoid an MHC-restricted, T-cell immune response. Normal cells escape lysis because their MHC molecules are recognized by NK-cell inhibitory receptors, which inhibit lysis. Several such inhibitory receptor families have been described in humans and mice. In the human killer-cell inhibitory receptor family, individual p58 members are specific for a subset of class I human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C molecules. The human p58 natural killer-cell inhibitory receptor clone 42 recognizes HLA-Cw4, -Cw2 and -Cw6, but not HLA-Cw3, -Cw2, -Cw7 or -Cw8, which are recognized by p58 killer-cell inhibitor receptor clone 43. We have determined the X-ray structure of the p58 NK-cell inhibitory receptor clone 42 at 1.7-A resolution. The structure has tandem immunoglobulin-like domains positioned at an acute, 60-degree angle. Loops on the outside of the elbow between the domains form a binding site projected away from the NK-cell surface. The topology of the domains and their arrangement relative to each other reveal a relationship to the haematopoietic receptor family, with implications for the signalling mechanism in NK cells.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1997

Negative signaling pathways of the killer cell inhibitory receptor and Fc gamma RIIb1 require distinct phosphatases.

Inhibition of natural killer (NK) cells by the killer cell inhibitory receptor (KIR) involves recruitment of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 by KIR and is prevented by expression of a dominant negative SHP-1 mutant. Another inhibitory receptor, the low affinity Fc receptor for immunoglobulin G (IgG) (Fc gamma RIIb1), has been shown to bind SHP-1 when cocross-linked with the antigen receptor on B cells (BCR). However, coligation of Fc gamma RIIb1 with BCR and with Fc epsilon RI on mast cells leads to recruitment of the inositol 5' phosphatase SHIP and to inhibition of mast cells from SHP-1-deficient mice. In this study, we evaluated the ability of these two inhibitory receptors to block target cell lysis by NK cells, and the contribution of SHP-1 and SHIP to inhibition. Recombinant vaccinia viruses encoding chimeric receptors and dominant negative mutants of SHP-1 and SHIP were used for expression in mouse and human NK cells. When the KIR cytoplasmic tail was replaced by that of Fc gamma RIIb1, recognition of HLA class I on target cells by the extracellular domain resulted in inhibition. A dominant negative mutant of SHP-1 reverted the inhibition mediated by the KIR cytoplasmic tail but not that mediated by Fc gamma RIIb1. In contrast, a dominant negative mutant of SHIP reverted only the inhibition mediated by the Fc gamma RIIb1 tail, providing functional evidence that SHIP plays a role in the Fc gamma RIIb1-mediated negative signal. These data demonstrate that inhibition of NK cells by KIR involves primarily the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1, whereas inhibition mediated by Fc gamma RIIb1 requires the inositol phosphatase SHIP.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

A novel phosphotyrosine motif with a critical amino acid at position -2 for the SH2 domain-mediated activation of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1.

SHP-1 is a protein-tyrosine phosphatase associated with inhibition of activation pathways in hematopoietic cells. The catalytic activity of SHP-1 is regulated by its two SH2 (Src homology 2) domains; phosphotyrosine peptides that bind to the SH2 domains activate SHP-1. The consensus sequence (I/V)XYXX(L/V) is present in the cytoplasmic tails of several lymphocyte receptors that interact with the second SH2 domain of SHP-1. In several of these receptors, there are two or three occurrences of the motif. Here we show that the conserved hydrophobic amino acid preceding the phosphotyrosine is critical for binding to and activation of SHP-1 by peptides corresponding to sequences from killer cell inhibitory receptors. The interaction of most SH2 domains with phosphopeptides requires only the phosphotyrosine and the three residues downstream of the tyrosine. In contrast, the shortest peptide able to bind or activate SHP-1 also included the two residues upstream of the phosphotyrosine. A biphosphopeptide corresponding to the cytoplasmic tail of a killer cell inhibitory receptor with the potential to interact simultaneously with both SH2 domains of SHP-1 was the most potent activator of SHP-1. The hydrophobic residue upstream of the tyrosine was also critical in the context of the biphosphopeptide. The contribution of a hydrophobic amino acid two residues upstream of the tyrosine in the SHP-1-binding motif may be an important feature that distinguishes inhibitory receptors from those that provide activation signals.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1997

A single amino acid in the p58 killer cell inhibitory receptor controls the ability of natural killer cells to discriminate between the two groups of HLA-C allotypes.

To examine the structural basis for the specific recognition of the MHC class I allotypes HLA-Cw*0401 and HLA-Cw*0304 by the killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIR) cl42 and cl43, respectively, mutant KIR-Ig fusion proteins were tested by direct binding to cells transfected with single HLA-C alleles. The putative loop region at position 44-46 of KIR contained amino acids that were necessary for the discrimination between HLA-Cw*0401 and HLA-Cw*0304. Surprisingly, exchanging the methionine at position 44 in cl42 with the lysine at position 44 in cl43 was sufficient to switch the specificity of cl42 from HLA-Cw*0401 to HLA-Cw*0304, and vice versa. Thus, a single amino acid in the first Ig domain of these KIR determines their ability to discriminate between the two groups of HLA-C allotypes.

Alleles↗
PubMed1997

The direct binding of a p58 killer cell inhibitory receptor to human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-Cw4 exhibits peptide selectivity.

Natural killer (NK) cells in mice and humans express a number of structurally diverse receptors that inhibit target cell lysis upon recognition of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules expressed on targets. The contribution of peptide to the structural features of class I required for NK cell inhibition appears to vary depending on the type of receptor engaged. Thus, while there is no peptide specificity in NK inhibition mediated by Ly-49A in the mouse, human histocompatibility antigen (HLA)-B*2705-specific NK clones displayed selectivity for peptides. In this report, we examine the role of peptide in the recognition of HLA-C by the defined killer cell inhibitory receptor (KIR) cl42 with established specificity for HLA-Cw4. Binding of soluble KIR cl42 molecules to HLA-Cw4 expressed on transporter associated with antigen presentation (TAP)-deficient RMA-S cells occurred only upon exogenous peptide loading. Moreover, there was peptide selectivity in that certain substitutions at positions 7 and 8 of the nonamer peptide QYDDAVYKL abolished Cw4 interaction with KIR cl42 despite similar surface expression of HLA-C. The specificity of this direct interaction between peptide-loaded HLA-Cw4 on RMA-S cells and soluble KIR cl42 correlated with recognition by NK clones in that they were inhibited only by HLA-Cw4 loaded with the appropriate peptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Type I transmembrane receptor with inhibitory function in mouse mast cells and NK cells.

The MHC class I-specific inhibitory receptors on human and mouse NK cells have surprisingly different structures. The mouse receptors (Ly-49) are type II transmembrane glycoproteins of the C-type lectin family, whereas the human receptors (killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIR)) belong to the Ig superfamily. This difference prompted a search for Ig-like inhibitory receptors in mice. Here we show that gp49, a mouse mast cell protein of unknown function but with sequence similarity to KIR, is expressed in NK cells. The gp49 cytoplasmic tail, containing a sequence related to an inhibitory motif shared by KIR and Ly-49, delivered a strong inhibitory signal in both human and mouse NK cells when substituted for a KIR cytoplasmic tail. These data show that Ig-like receptors with inhibitory properties exist in both species and that mouse mast and NK cells may recognize common inhibitory ligands.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Binding of a soluble p70 killer cell inhibitory receptor to HLA-B*5101: requirement for all three p70 immunoglobulin domains.

Lysis of target cells by natural killer (NK) cells can be prevented by killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIR) specific for major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. Functional studies have identified two distinct p58 KIR, each reactive with a different group of HLA-C allotypes, and distinct p70 KIR specific for some HLA-B or HLA-A allotypes. The NK specificities for each group of HLA-C allotypes have been reproduced by direct binding of recombinant soluble p58 molecules. Here, we show that a soluble p70 KIR binds to HLA-B*5101, but not to HLA-A or HLA-C molecules. Truncated soluble forms of the HLA-B*5101-specific p70 KIR, including one with two immunoglobulin (Ig) domains reactive with a monoclonal antibody that blocks p70 KIR function, did not bind to HLA-B*5101, indicating that all three Ig domains are required for binding.

HLA-B Antigens↗
PubMed1997

HLA-DR-restricted presentation of purified myelin basic protein is independent of intracellular processing.

Antigen presentation to CD4+ T cells involves intracellular antigen processing and loading of peptides onto newly synthesized major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-class II molecules. Some antigens, such as the lipid-bound, native form of myelin basic protein (LB-MBP) can also be presented by recycling of cell surface MHC class II molecules. The data reported here demonstrate that a preparation of highly purified, delipidated MBP (HP-MBP) follows yet another presentation pathway. Similar to LB-MBP, presentation of HP-MBP to HLA-DR1-restricted T cells was independent of HLA-DM, of newly synthesized proteins, and of invariant chain expression. However, in contrast to LB-MBP, presentation of HP-MBP was also independent of internalization of surface HLA-DR molecules. The different requirements for the presentation of the two molecular forms of MBP were further confirmed by use of the protease inhibitor E64: presentation of LB-MBP but not of HP-MBP was inhibited after treatment of target cells with E64. Furthermore, intact HP-MPB bound to isolated HLA-DR molecules in vitro with an association rate that was considerably faster than that of short peptides. These results show that presentation of HP-MBP is independent of intracellular processing and suggest that it may be presented to T cells by direct binding to surface HLA-DR molecules.

Antigen Presentation↗