Expression of IFN-gamma upon triggering of activating Ly49D NK receptors in vitro and in vivo: costimulation with IL-12 or IL-18 overrides inhibitory receptors.

NK cells can express both activating and inhibitory Ly49 receptors on their cell surface. When cells expressing both receptors are presented with a ligand, inhibition dominates the functional outcome. In this report we demonstrate that costimulation of the activating Ly49D murine NK cell receptor with IL-12 or IL-18 is capable of over-riding the inhibitory Ly49G2 receptor blockade for cytokine production both in vitro and in vivo. This synergy is mediated by and dependent upon Ly49D-expressing NK cells and results in significant systemic expression of IFN-gamma. This would place NK cells and their activating Ly-49 receptors as important initiators of microbial, antiviral, and antitumor immunity and provide a mechanism for the release of activating Ly49 receptors from inhibitory receptor blockade.