Transcriptome sequencing of proliferating human Natural Killer cells in response to VMAPRTLFL peptide

NK cells play a decisive role in controlling hCMV infection by combining innate and adaptive-like immune reactions. Peptide VMAPRTLFL (LFL) expressed by hCMV and fully mimicking the identical leader peptide of human HLA-G, being presented by HLA-E, is one of the most potent activators of NKG2C+ NK cells. NK cells of individuals having high hCMV-specific IgG levels seropositivity displayed a considerable enhance of IFNg production, degranulation and activation levels, and proliferation potential upon stimulation with the LFL peptide, while NK cells from hCMV- seronegative and low-positive donors ether interacting with LFL did not exhibit significant alterations after interacting with LFL. The transcriptomic profile of these highly proliferative LFL-stimulated NK cells was characterized by changes in adaptive gene expression and metabolic activation.