Figure 1. IL-15–primed NK cells mount a superior immune response under oxidative stress.

(A) Percentage of specific killing of K562 target cells by NK cells primed with either IL-2 or IL-15 and cocultured at 2 different E/T ratios (n = 5). (B) Relative killing efficiency at two E/T ratios of NK cells primed with either IL-2 or IL-15, normalized to the control without H₂O₂ treatment (n = 4). (C) Percentage of CD107a⁺ NK cells primed with either IL-2 or IL-15, in the absence or presence of H₂O₂ treatment. (D) Percentage of IFN-γ⁺ NK cells primed with either IL-2 or IL-15, in the absence or presence of H₂O₂ treatment. (E) Representative FACS plots showing the gating strategy for NK cells with high intracellular ROS (n = 5). (F) Percentage of IL-15– and IL-2–primed NK cells with high intracellular ROS after H₂O₂ treatment (n = 5). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, and ****P < 0.0001, by mixed-model analysis with Holm-Šidák’s multiple-comparisons test (A–F). All individual data points are connected for matching replicates.