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Abstract Background S100A9 has been shown to be important for the function of so called Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSC). Cells with a similar phenotype are also involved in pro-inflammatory processes, and we therefore wanted to investigate the gene expression and function of these cells in animals that were either subjected to chronic inflammation, or inoculated with tumors. Methods CD11b+Ly6C++ and Ly6G+ cells were isolated from spleen, tumor tissue or inflammatory granulomas. S100A9, Arginase 1 and iNOS gene expression in the various CD11b+ cell populations was analyzed using Q-PCR. The suppressive activity of the CD11b+ cell populations from different donors was studied in co-culture experiments. Results S100A9 was shown to be expressed mainly in splenic CD11b+Ly6C+G+ cells both at the RNA and protein level. Arginase I and iNOS expression could be detected in both CD11b+Ly6C+Ly6G+ and CD11b+Ly6C+G-/C++G- derived from tumors or a site of chronic inflammation, but was very low in the same cell populations isolated from the spleen. CD11b+ cells isolated from mice with peritoneal chronic inflammation were able to stimulate T lymphocytes, while CD11b+ cells from mice with peritoneal tumors suppressed T cell growth. Conclusion An identical CD11b+Ly6C++G- cell population appears to have the ability to adopt immune stimulatory or immune suppressive functions dependent on the presence of a local inflammatory or tumor microenvironment. Thus, there is a functional plasticity in the CD11b+Ly6C++G- cell population that cannot be distinguished with the current molecular markers.

Natural killer (NK) T lymphocytes are a subpopulation of T lymphocytes regarded as early regulators of immune responses. The majority of NKT cells are restricted by the CD1d molecule. NKT cells have mostly been studied in one single mouse strain, C57BL/6 (B6), because of the absence of NK1.1 in other common mouse strains, and the lack of other reliable surface markers for CD1d-restricted cells. To investigate NKT cell subsets in a mouse strain of a genetic background different from B6, we have back-crossed the NKT cell marker NK1.1 from the B6 mouse to the BALB/c mouse strain. We show that NKT cells in the congenic BALB.B6-NK1.1 b mouse share many characteristics with their B6 counterparts, but seem to be deficient in the functional NKT cell subtype characterized by low interleukin-4 and high interferon-γ production, and surface expression of CD49b but not CD69. Moreover, in the thymus but not the spleen of BALB.B6-NK1.1 b mice we find a novel Vα14-Jα18 invariant NKT cell subset which is devoid of a set of NK markers, suggesting that these cells represent a less differentiated NKT cell stage, and carries high levels of the T-cell receptor and uses a skewed T-cell receptor Vβ-repertoire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: CD1d-restricted natural killer T (NKT) cells can have multiple effects on an immune response, including the activation, regulation and attraction of innate immune cells, and modulation of adaptive immunity. Recent studies reveal that there are distinct subsets of NKT cells which selectively perform some of the functions attributed to CD1d-restricted cells, but the mechanisms underlying these functional differences have not been resolved. Our aim in this study was to identify novel NKT cell associated traits that would provide important insight into NKT cell activation and function. To this end, we have performed gene expression profiling of two separate subsets of NKT cells, analyzing genes differentially expressed in these cells compared to conventional CD4+NK1.1− T cells. We identify different sets of genes over expressed in each of the two NKT cell types, as well as genes that are common to the two CD1d-restricted NKT cell populations analyzed. A large number of these genes are highly relevant for NKT cell development, activation and function. Each NKT subtype displayed a unique set of chemokine receptors, integrins and molecules related to effector function, supporting the notion that distinct NKT cells can be selectively engaged and have diverse functions in different types of immune reactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]