AUTHOR=Kurioka Ayako , Cosgrove Cormac , Simoni Yannick , van Wilgenburg Bonnie , Geremia Alessandra , Björkander Sophia , Sverremark-Ekström Eva , Thurnheer Christine , Günthard Huldrych F. , Khanna Nina , The Swiss HIV Cohort Study , Oxford IBD Cohort Investigators , Walker Lucy Jane , Arancibia-Cárcamo Carolina V. , Newell Evan W. , Willberg Christian B. , Klenerman Paul , Aubert V , Battegay M , Bernasconi E , Böni J , Braun DL , Bucher HC , Burton-Jeangros C , Calmy A , Cavassini M , Dollenmaier G , Egger M , Elzi L , Fehr J , Fellay J , Furrer H , Fux CA , Gorgievski M , Günthard H , Haerry D , Hasse B , Hirsch HH , Hoffmann M , Hösli I , Kahlert C , Kaiser L , Keiser O , Klimkait T , Kouyos R , Kovari H , Ledergerber B , Martinetti G , Martinez de Tejada B , Marzolini C , Metzner K , Müller N , Nadal D , Nicca D , Pantaleo G , Rauch A , Regenass S , Rudin C , Scherrer A , Schmid P , Speck R , Stöckle M , Tarr P , Trkola A , Vernazza P , Weber R , Yerly S , Arancibia-Cárcamo CV , Bailey A , Barnes E , Bird-Lieberman B , Brain O , Braden B , Collier J , East J , Geremia A , Howarth L , Keshav S , Klenerman P , Leedham S , Palmer R , Powrie F , Rodrigues A , Simmons A , Sullivan P , Travis SPL , Uhlig H TITLE=CD161 Defines a Functionally Distinct Subset of Pro-Inflammatory Natural Killer Cells JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=9 YEAR=2018 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.00486 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2018.00486 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

CD161 is a C-type lectin-like receptor expressed on the majority of natural killer (NK) cells; however, the significance of CD161 expression on NK cells has not been comprehensively investigated. Recently, we found that CD161 expression identifies a transcriptional and innate functional phenotype that is shared across various T cell populations. Using mass cytometry and microarray experiments, we demonstrate that this functional phenotype extends to NK cells. CD161 marks NK cells that have retained the ability to respond to innate cytokines during their differentiation, and is lost upon cytomegalovirus-induced maturation in both healthy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. These pro-inflammatory NK cells are present in the inflamed lamina propria where they are enriched for integrin CD103 expression. Thus, CD161 expression identifies NK cells that may contribute to inflammatory disease pathogenesis and correlates with an innate responsiveness to cytokines in both T and NK cells.