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. 2022 Jun 27;23(8):e54133. doi: 10.15252/embr.202154133

Figure 2. NK cell degranulation is associated with increased TRAIL expression across multiple NK cell subsets.

Figure 2

Comparison of CD107a and TRAIL expression levels between various NK cell subsets after co‐incubation with no target cells present (−), autologous CD4 T cells (Mock), or enriched in vitro HIV‐1‐infected (NL4‐3) CD4 T cells (HIV) (n = 13 different donors per condition). Predefined NK cell subsets comprise CD56Dim, CD56Bright, and KIR‐educated cells, defined as expressing at least one self‐inhibitory KIR (2DL1/L2/L3, 3DL1), and negative for NKG2A, NKG2A‐educated cells, expressing NKG2A, but lacking self‐inhibitory KIR, and uneducated cells, lacking self‐inhibitory KIR and NKG2A altogether.
  1. Relative frequency of CD107a+ cells (y‐axis) of predefined NK cell subsets (x‐axis). Left panel displays data for bulk NK cells, middle panel for CD56Dim and CD56Bright NK cells, right panel for uneducated, KIR‐educated, and NKG2A‐educated cells (n = 13 different donors).
  2. HIV‐specific responses of predefined NK cell sub‐populations (x‐axis) displayed as percentage points (p.p.) CD107a+ NK cells after normalization to mock CD4 T cells (y‐axis) (n = 13 different donors).
  3. TRAIL expression levels (y‐axis) of predefined NK cell subsets (x‐axis). Left panel displays data for bulk NK cells, middle panel for CD56Dim and CD56Bright NK cells, and right panel for uneducated, KIR‐educated, and NKG2A‐educated cells. Expression is displayed as median fluorescence intensity (MdFI) (n = 13 different donors).
  4. Comparison of TRAIL expression levels (y‐axis) between CD107a− and CD107a+ cells of predefined NK cell subsets. Left panel displays data for bulk NK cells, middle panel for CD56Dim and CD56Bright NK cells, right panel for uneducated, KIR‐educated, and NKG2A‐educated cells. Expression is displayed as MdFI (n = 13 different donors).
  5. Fold differences in TRAIL surface expression (y‐axis) between CD107a+ and CD107a− cells of predefined NK cell sub‐populations (x‐axis) (n = 13 different donors).
Data information: Wilcoxon signed‐rank test adjusted for multiple comparisons (Bonferroni). Box plots represent the median and 25%/75% percentile. Whiskers indicate the minimum and maximum data points. Lines connecting CD107a− and CD107a+ cells refer to measured values of the same donor.

Source data are available online for this figure.