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 macaque natural killer (NK) cells, and to investigate whether the CD27/CD11b NK maturation model proposed in human and murine models is applicable to Macaca fascicularis (cynomolgus macaque) NK cells. The NK development studies performed in mice models have demonstrated four functionally distinct subsets 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. The expression profile of selected mafa-KIR genes based on published cynomolgus macaque KIR haplotypes will be studied for a subset of cynomolgus macaque NK cells using this customized microarray.