KIR2DS1-dependent acquisition of CCR7 and migratory properties by human NK cells interacting with allogeneic HLA-C2+ DCs or T-cell blasts.

Natural killer (NK) cells may capture the CCR7 chemokine receptor from allogeneic CCR7(+) cells by trogocytosis and acquire migrating properties in response to lymph node chemokines. This event is negatively regulated by inhibitory killer Ig-like receptors (KIRs) and NKG2A. In this study, we analyzed the role of the HLA-C2-specific activating receptor KIR2DS1 in the process of CCR7 uptake by NK cells interacting with different allogeneic CCR7(+) cells. Co-incubation of KIR2DS1(+) fresh NK cells or NK-cell clones with HLA-C2(+) CCR7(+) lymphoblastoid cell lines resulted in increased CCR7 uptake. Remarkably, KIR2DS1 expression represented a major advantage for acquiring CCR7 from HLA-C2(+) allogeneic dendritic cells (DCs) and T-cell blasts. These findings have important implications in haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in which donor-derived (alloreactive) KIR2DS1(+) NK cells, upon CCR7 acquisition, become capable of migrating toward lymph nodes, where they may kill patient DCs and T cells, preventing graft-versus-host and host-versus-graft reactions.