Identification of an NK/T cell-restricted progenitor in adult bone marrow contributing to bone marrow- and thymic-dependent NK cells

Blood. 2010 Jul 15;116(2):183-92. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-10-247130. Epub 2010 Apr 26.

Abstract

Although bone marrow (BM) is the main site of natural killer (NK)-cell development in adult mice, recent studies have identified a distinct thymic-dependent NK pathway, implicating a possible close link between NK- and T-cell development in adult hematopoiesis. To investigate whether a potential NK-/T-lineage restriction of multipotent progenitors might take place already in the BM, we tested the full lineage potentials of NK-cell progenitors in adult BM. Notably, although Lin(-)CD122(+)NK1.1(-)DX5(-) NK-cell progenitors failed to commit to the B and myeloid lineages, they sustained a combined NK- and T-cell potential in vivo and in vitro at the single-cell level. Whereas T-cell development from NK/T progenitors is Notch-dependent, their contribution to thymic and BM NK cells remains Notch-independent. These findings demonstrate the existence of bipotent NK-/T-cell progenitors in adult BM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology*
  • Cell Lineage
  • Cell Separation
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Hematopoiesis / immunology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / immunology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / cytology*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Multipotent Stem Cells / cytology
  • Multipotent Stem Cells / immunology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Thymus Gland / cytology
  • Thymus Gland / immunology