Fig. 6. Runx1 and Runx3 are critical and nonredundant in promoting NK cell expansion and survival during MCMV infection.

WT and Runx1^fl/fl × Nkp46^iCre, or WT and Runx3^fl/fl × Nkp46^iCre Ly49H⁺ NK cells were cotransferred into Ly49H-deficient hosts and infected with MCMV. (A) Relative and absolute percentage of WT and Runx1^fl/fl × Nkp46^iCre Ly49H⁺ NK cells. (B) Percentage of transferred WT and Runx1^fl/fl × Nkp46^iCre NK cells in the spleen and liver at day 32 PI. (C) CD27 versus CDIIb and KLRG1 expression of WT and Runx1^fl/fl × Nkp46^iCre transferred NK cells in the blood at day 7 PI. (D) Memory NK cells isolated at day 28 PI were stimulated with IL-12 plus IL-18 (IL-12+18) or PMA plus ionomycin (PMA+iono) for 4 hours or were untreated. Percentages of memory WT and Runx1^fl/fl × Nkp46^iCre NK cells producing IFN-γ (left) or degranulating (right) are shown. (E) Graphs show percentage of WT and Runx3^fl/fl × Nkp46^iCre transferred NK cells in the blood at depicted time points as well as (F) in the spleen and liver at day 32 PI. (G) CD27 versus CD11b and KLRG1 expression of transferred NK cells in the blood for each group at day 7 PI. (H) Memory NK cells isolated at day 28 PI were stimulated as described in (D) and percentages of IFN-γ (left) or degranulating (right) memory NK cells are shown. Data are representative of two independent experiments, with n = 3 to 4 mice. Samples were compared using two-tailed unpaired Student’s t test, and data are presented as means ± SEM (**P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001).