Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Co-association of CD3ζ with a receptor (CD16) for IgG Fc on human natural killer cells

Abstract

NATURAL killer (NK) cells are a subset of lymphocytes that mediate major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-nonrestricted cytotoxicity against tumours and virus-infected cells and secrete numerous cytokines on activation1. NK cells are distinct from mature T lymphocytes, because they do not rearrange or productively transcribe T-cell receptor α-, β-, γ- or δ-chain genes and do not express the CD3 γ- or δ-subunits2–6. But recent studies indicate that NK cells do express CD3ζ, co-associated with other membrane proteins7. Here we report that CD16, the receptor for the Fc (constant) region of IgG, specifically associates with the CD3ζ homodimer on the membrane of human NK cells, and that co-transfection with CD3ζ complementary DNA permits expression of a transmembrane-linked CD 16 complex on COS-7 cells. These findings indicate that CD3ζ can co-associate with membrane receptors of diverse ceil types and function as a common structure for signal transduction.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lanier, L. L., Phillips, J. H., Hackett, J. Jr., Tutt, M. & Kumar, V. J. Immun. 137, 2735–2739 (1986).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Ritz, J. et al. Science 228, 1540–1543 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lanier, L. L., Cwirla, S. & Phillips, J. H. J Immun. 137, 3375–3377 (1986).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Lanier, L. L., Cwirla, S., Federspiel, N. & Phillips, J. H. J. exp. Med. 163, 209–214 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Loh, E. Y., Cwirla, S., Serafini, A. T., Phillips, J. H. & Lanier, L. L. Proc. natn. Acad Sci. U.S.A. 85, 9714–9718 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Biassoni, R., Ferrini, S., Prigione, I., Moretta, A. & Long, E. O. J. Immun. 140, 1685–1689 (1988).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Anderson, P., Caligiuri, M., Ritz, J. & Schlossman, S. F. Nature 341, 159–162 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Weissman, A. N. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85, 9709–9713 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Simmons, D. & Seed, B. Nature 333, 568–570 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Selvaraj, P., Rosse, W. F., Silber, R. & Springer, T. A. Nature 333, 565–567 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Huizinga, T. W. J. et al. Nature 333, 667–669 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Cassatella, M. A. et al. J. exp. Med. 169, 549–567 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lanier, L. L., Ruitenberg, J. J. & Phillips, J. H. J. Immun. 141, 3478–3485 (1988).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Samelson, L. E. et al. J. Immun. 139, 2708–2714 (1987).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Samelson, L. E., Patel, M. D., Weissman, A. M., Harford, J. B. & Klausner, R. D. Cell 46, 1083–1090 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Mercep, M. et al. Science 242, 571–574 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sussman, J. J. et al. Cell 52, 85–95 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lanier, L. L., Le, A. M., Civin, C. I., Loken, M. R. & Phillips, J. H. J. Immun. 136, 4480–4486 (1986).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Nagler, A., Lanier, L. L., Cwirla, S. & Phillips, J. H. J. Immun. 143, 3183–3191 (1989).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Ravetch, J. V. & Perussia, B. J. exp. Med. 170, 481–497 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lanier, L. L., Phillips, J. H. & Testi, R. Eur. J. Immun. 19, 775–778 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Ravetch, J. Int Congr. Immun (1989).

  23. Miller, L., Blank, U., Metzger, H. & Kinet, J.-P. Science 244, 334–337 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Blank, U., Ra, C., White, K., Metzger, H. & Kinet, J.-P. Nature 337, 187–189 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lanier, L. L. et al. J. exp. Med. 165, 1076–1094 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Weissman, A. M., Samelson, L. E. & Klausner, R. D. Nature 324, 480–482 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Cleveland, D. W., Fischer, S. G., Kirschner, M. W. & Laemmli, U. K. J. biol Chem. 252, 1102–1106 (1977).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Lanier, L. L., Cwirla, S., Yu, G., Testi, R. & Phillips, J. H. Science (in the press).

  29. Seed, B. & Aruffo, A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 3365–3369 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lanier, L., Yu, G. & Phillips, J. Co-association of CD3ζ with a receptor (CD16) for IgG Fc on human natural killer cells. Nature 342, 803–805 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/342803a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/342803a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing