Multifunctional human CD56low CD16low natural killer cells are the prominent subset in bone marrow of both healthy pediatric donors and leukemic patients

Abstract

We phenotypically and functionally characterized a distinct CD56low natural killer cell subset based on CD16 expression levels in bone marrow and peripheral blood of healthy children and pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that CD56lowCD16low natural killer cells are more abundant in bone marrow than in peripheral blood and that their frequency is further increased in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Bone marrow and peripheral blood CD56lowCD16low natural killer cells compared with CD56lowCD16high natural killer cells express lower levels of killer inhibitory receptors, higher levels of CD27, CD127, CD122, CD25, but undetectable levels of CD57, suggesting that they have a higher proliferative and differentiation potential. Moreover, CD56lowCD16low natural killer cells display higher levels of CXCR4 and undetectable levels of CX3CR1 and can be consistently and rapidly mobilized in peripheral blood in response to CXCR4 antagonist. Unlike CD56lowCD16high, both bone marrow and peripheral blood CD56lowCD16low natural killer cells release IFNγ following cytokine stimulation, and represent the major cytotoxic natural killer cell population against K562 or acute lymphoblastic leukemia target cells. All these data suggest that CD56lowCD16low natural killer cells are multifunctional cells, and that the presence of hematologic malignancies affects their frequency and functional ability at both tumor site and in the periphery.