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Figure 2 | BMC Immunology

Figure 2

From: Cervical cancer cell lines expressing NKG2D-ligands are able to down-modulate the NKG2D receptor on NKL cells with functional implications

Figure 2

Down-modulation of NKG2D on NKL cells and fresh NK cells after cellcell contact with cervical cancer cells. NKG2D expression was evaluated by flow cytometry using a PE-conjugated anti-human NKG2D monoclonal antibody. The variations in the MFI of NKG2D are expressed as percentages with 100% defined as the basal MFI of NKG2D on NKL cells or fresh NK cells cultured alone (control group). (A) NKL cells co-cultured with HaCaT cells do not show significant changes in the expression of NKG2D after 60 min; this behavior remains practically the same after 2 and 4 h. In contrast, the co-culture with cervical cancer cells results in NKG2D downmodulation. After incubation with SiHa (HPV16+) and HeLa (HPV18+) cells the NKG2D expression is significantly reduced after 60 min and continues to decrease over time. The co-cultures of NKL cells with C33A cells (which are negative for HPV) show a similar pattern to that observed with SiHa and HeLa. Notably, the strongest decrease in NKG2D expression is observed after incubating the NKL cells with SiHa cells. Experiments were performed in triplicate and repeated three times, for a total of nine data points per sample. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05. (B) Fresh NK cells significantly down-modulated NKG2D after the contact with SiHa, HeLa and C33A cells; conversely, after the contact with HaCaT cells, the expression of NKG2D was not modified. Experiments were performed in duplicate and repeated two times with two different donors. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05.

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