NK cells expressing CD27 and CD11b are mature NK intermediates with organ specific distribution in cynomolgus macaque.

In this study, we aim to establish the means to characterize cynomolgus macaque natural killer (NK) cells, and to investigate the CD27/CD11b NK maturation model in Macaca fascicularis NK cell subpopulations. The NK development studies performed mainly in mice models have demonstrated four functionally distinct subsets as defined by CD27 and CD11b, however this has not yet been established in nonhuman primates. The expression data of these macaque NK subsets will be associated with the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and missing-self responses produce by each subset. Unstimulated NK cell subsets were profiled for gene expression after 10-colour flow cytometry cell sorting based on CD27 and CD11b surface expression.