Expansions of adaptive-like NK cells with a tissue-resident phenotype in human lung and blood.

Human adaptive-like "memory" CD56dimCD16+ natural killer (NK) cells in peripheral blood from cytomegalovirus-seropositive individuals have been extensively investigated in recent years and are currently explored as a treatment strategy for hematological cancers. However, treatment of solid tumors remains limited due to insufficient NK cell tumor infiltration, and it is unknown whether large expansions of adaptive-like NK cells that are equipped for tissue residency and tumor homing exist in peripheral tissues. Here, we show that human lung and blood contains adaptive-like CD56brightCD16- NK cells with hallmarks of tissue residency, including expression of CD49a. Expansions of adaptive-like lung tissue-resident NK (trNK) cells were found to be present independently of adaptive-like CD56dimCD16+ NK cells and to be hyperresponsive toward target cells. Together, our data demonstrate that phenotypically, functionally, and developmentally distinct subsets of adaptive-like NK cells exist in human lung and blood. Given their tissue-related character and hyperresponsiveness, human lung adaptive-like trNK cells might represent a suitable alternative for therapies targeting solid tumors.

GPR52 regulates cAMP in T cells but is dispensable for encephalitogenic responses.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) regulate 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels in T cells. cAMP as ubiquitous second messenger is crucial for adequate physiology of T cells by mediating effector T cell (Teff) function as well as regulatory T cell (Treg)-mediated immunosuppression. Several GPCRs have been identified to be crucial for Teff and Treg function. However, the role of the orphan, constitutively active Gs-coupled GPCR GPR52 is unknown. Here we show that GPR52 regulates cAMP levels in T cells but does not affect T cell function. We found that stimulation of transfected HEK cells or primary T cells with a GPR52 agonist results in a rise of intracellular cAMP. However, neither Gpr52 deficiency nor pharmacological modulation of GPR52 by antagonists or agonists affected T cell activation, differentiation, and proliferation or Treg-mediated immunosuppression. Moreover, Gpr52 deletion did not modify the clinical disease course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Our results demonstrate that a modulation of cAMP levels in T cells does not inevitably result in altered T cell function. While we could not identify an obvious role of GPR52 in in vitro T cell assays and in vivo CNS autoimmunity, it might regulate T cell function in a different context or affect the function of other GPR52-expressing cells.

Unique transcriptional and protein-expression signature in human lung tissue-resident NK cells.

Human lung tissue-resident NK cells (trNK cells) are likely to play an important role in host responses towards viral infections, inflammatory conditions and cancer. However, detailed insights into these cells are still largely lacking. Here we show, using RNA sequencing and flow cytometry-based analyses, that subsets of human lung CD69+CD16- NK cells display hallmarks of tissue-residency, including high expression of CD49a, CD103, and ZNF683, and reduced expression of SELL, S1PR5, and KLF2/3. CD49a+CD16- NK cells are functionally competent, and produce IFN-γ, TNF, MIP-1ß, and GM-CSF. After stimulation with IL-15, they upregulate perforin, granzyme B, and Ki67 to a similar degree as CD49a-CD16- NK cells. Comparing datasets from trNK cells in human lung and bone marrow with tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells identifies core genes co-regulated either by tissue-residency, cell-type or location. Together, our data indicate that human lung trNK cells have distinct features, likely regulating their function in barrier immunity.

Influenza A Virus Infection Induces Hyperresponsiveness in Human Lung Tissue-Resident and Peripheral Blood NK Cells.

NK cells in the human lung respond to influenza A virus- (IAV-) infected target cells. However, the detailed functional capacity of human lung and peripheral blood NK cells remains to be determined in IAV and other respiratory viral infections. Here, we investigated the effects of IAV infection on human lung and peripheral blood NK cells in vitro and ex vivo following clinical infection. IAV infection of lung- and peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells in vitro induced NK cell hyperresponsiveness to K562 target cells, including increased degranulation and cytokine production particularly in the CD56brightCD16- subset of NK cells. Furthermore, lung CD16- NK cells showed increased IAV-mediated but target cell-independent activation compared to CD16+ lung NK cells or total NK cells in peripheral blood. IAV infection rendered peripheral blood NK cells responsive toward the normally NK cell-resistant lung epithelial cell line A549, indicating that NK cell activation during IAV infection could contribute to killing of surrounding non-infected epithelial cells. In vivo, peripheral blood CD56dimCD16+ and CD56brightCD16- NK cells were primed during acute IAV infection, and a small subset of CD16-CD49a+CXCR3+ NK cells could be identified, with CD49a and CXCR3 potentially promoting homing to and tissue-retention in the lung during acute infection. Together, we show that IAV respiratory viral infections prime otherwise hyporesponsive lung NK cells, indicating that both CD16+ and CD16- NK cells including CD16-CD49a+ tissue-resident NK cells could contribute to host immunity but possibly also tissue damage in clinical IAV infection.