Cutting edge: engagement of CD160 by its HLA-C physiological ligand triggers a unique cytokine profile secretion in the cytotoxic peripheral blood NK cell subset

CD160 is an Ig-like activating NK cell receptor expressed on the majority of circulating NK cells. This population corresponds to the nonproliferating, highly cytolytic, CD56dimCD16+ subset. CD160 engagement by HLA-C molecules mediates cytotoxic function. In this study, we report that upon specific activation by the physiological ligand HLA-C, or Ab cross-linking, CD160+ peripheral blood NK cells produce IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-6. This unique CD160-mediated cytokine production differs from the one observed after CD16 engagement whose expression is also restricted to the CD56dim cytotoxic NK cell subset. As already reported for the CD160-mediated cytotoxic effector function, CD160-mediated cytokine production by peripheral blood-NK cells is negatively controlled by the killer Ig-like receptor CD158b. Thus, the CD160 receptor represents a unique triggering surface molecule expressed by cytotoxic NK cells that participates in the inflammatory response and determines the type of subsequent specific immunity.